Melatin concentrating hormone receptor chimeric and fusion proteins

ABSTRACT

The present invention features melanin concentrating hormone receptor (MCH-R) chimeric and fusion proteins. MCH-R chimeric proteins comprise an MCH-R polypeptide region made up of at least two or more polypeptide regions characteristic of MCH-R found in different species. MCH-R fusion proteins comprise an MCH-R polypeptide region and a fluorescent protein region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims priority to provisional application U.S. Serial No. 60/189,698, filed Mar. 15, 2000, hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The references cited herein are not admitted to be prior art to the claimed invention.

[0003] Neuropeptides present in the hypothalamus play a major role in mediating the control of body weight. (Flier et al., 1998. Cell, 92, 437-440.) Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a cyclic 19-amino acid neuropeptide synthesized as part of a larger pre-prohormone precursor in the hypothalamus which also encodes neuropeptides NEI and NGE. (Nahon et al., 1990. Mol. Endocrinol. 4, 632-637.) MCH was first identified in salmon pituitary, and in fish MCH affects melanin aggregation thus affecting skin pigmentation. In trout and in eels MCH has also been shown to be involved in stress induced or CRF-stimulated ACTH release. (Kawauchi et al., 1983. Nature 305, 321-323.)

[0004] In humans two genes encoding MCH have been identified that are expressed in the brain. (Breton et al., 1993. Mol. Brain Res. 18, 297-310.) In mammals MCH has been localized primarily to neuronal cell bodies of the hypothalamus which are implicated in the control of food intake, including perikarya of the lateral hypothalamus and zona inertia. (Knigge et al., 1996. Peptides 17, 1063-1073.)

[0005] Pharmacological and genetic evidence suggest that the primary mode of MCH action is to promote feeding (orexigenic). MCH mRNA is up regulated in fasted mice and rats and in the ob/ob mouse. (Qu et al., 1996. Nature 380, 243-247.) Injection of MCH centrally (ICV) stimulates food intake and MCH antagonizes the hypophagic effects seen with α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (αMSH). (Qu et al., 1996. Nature 380, 243-247.) MCH-deficient mice are lean, hypophagic, and have increased metabolic rate. (Shimada et al., 1998. Nature 396, 670-673.)

[0006] MCH action is not limited to modulation of food intake as effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-axis have been reported. (Nahon 1994. Critical Rev. in Neurobiol. 8, 221-262.) MCH may be involved in the body response to stress as MCH can modulate the stress-induced release of CRP from the hypothalamus and ACTH from the pituitary. In addition, MCH neuronal systems may be involved in reproductive or maternal function.

[0007] Several references describe a receptor that is indicated to bind MCH. (Chambers et al., 1999. Nature 400, 261-265; Saito et al., 1999. Nature 400, 265-269; Bächner et al., 1999. FEBS Letters 457:522-524; Shimomura et al., 1999. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 261, 622-626; and Lembo et al., 1999. Nat. Cell Biol. 1, 267-271.)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention features melanin concentrating hormone receptor (MCH-R) chimeric and fusion proteins. MCH-R chimeric proteins comprise an MCH-R polypeptide region made up of at least two or more polypeptide regions characteristic of MCH-R found in different species. MCH-R fusion proteins comprise an MCH-R polypeptide region and a fluorescent protein region.

[0009] An MCH-R polypeptide region provides a functional G-protein coupled receptor region able to bind MCH and transduce an intracellular signal. Examples of MCH-R polypeptide regions include naturally occurring MCH-R, chimeric MCH-R containing two or more regions from naturally occurring MCH-R, and functional derivatives thereof.

[0010] Reference to the terms “characteristic” and “derivatives thereof” describe a relationship to a reference sequence. In both cases, there is at least about 75% sequence similarity to the reference sequence.

[0011] Thus, a first aspect of the present invention describes a fusion protein comprising (a) an MCH-R polypeptide region and (b) a fluorescent polypeptide region. The fluorescent polypeptide region is joined directly, or though a polypeptide linker, to the carboxy side of the MCH-R polypeptide region.

[0012] Another aspect of the present invention describes an MCH-R chimeric protein. The protein comprises: (a) an MCH-R binding region characteristic of a human MCH-R, (b) a transmembrane domain characteristic of a non-human MCH-R, and (c) an intracellular domain characteristic of a non-human MCH-R.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention describes a nucleic acid encoding for an MCH-R fusion protein or an MCH-R chimeric protein described herein. Such nucleic acid comprises either a contiguous nucleotide sequence that codes for the protein or a sequence that is processed by a host cell to produce a contiguous nucleotide sequence encoding for the protein. Processing of a nucleic acid sequence to produce a contiguous nucleotide sequence encoding for a protein can occur by the splicing together of exons resulting in intron removal.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention describes an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding for an MCH-R fusion protein or an MCH-R chimeric protein described herein.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention describes a recombinant cell comprising nucleic acid encoding for an MCH-R fusion protein or an MCH-R chimeric protein described herein. The nucleic acid may be part of the host genome or may exist independently of the host genome.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention describes a non-human transgenic animal comprising nucleic acid encoding for an MCH-R fusion protein or an MCH-R chimeric protein described herein.

[0017] Another aspect of the present invention describes a method for assaying for MCH-R active compounds by measuring the effect of a test preparation on one or more MCH-R activities. The method is performed using either an MCH-R fusion protein or an MCH-R chimeric protein described herein.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the additional descriptions provided herein including the different examples. The provided examples illustrate different components and methodology useful in practicing the present invention. The examples do not limit the claimed invention. Based on the present disclosure the skilled artisan can identify and employ other components and methodology useful for practicing the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019]FIG. 1 illustrates aequorin assay results comparing a mouse MCH-R fusion with a human wild type MCH-R and a CMV-EGFP control.

[0020]FIG. 2 illustrates a cAMP flashplate assay of CHO cell clones stably expressing mMCH-1R-EGFP. Cells from individual clones were dissociated in enzyme free media and stimulated for 15 minutes at 37° C. with human MCH at the indicated concentrations in the presence of 10 μM forskolin. Cells were then lysed and assayed for bound [¹²⁵I]cAMP. Mouse MCH-1R-EGFP clones exhibited EC50 values (0.1111, 0.1255, 0.1291, or 0.2304 nM) indistinguishable from that of a CHO cell clone expressing the wild-type human short isoform of MCH-1R ( 0.1282 nM).

[0021]FIG. 3 illustrates a cAMP flashplate assay of CHO cell clones stably expressing human short/mouse species chimeric MCH-1R-EGFP. Cells from individual clones were dissociated in enzyme free media and stimulated for 15 minutes at 37° C. with human MCH at the indicated concentrations in the presence of 10 μM forskolin. Cells were then lysed and assayed for bound [¹²⁵I]cAMP. Human short/mouse species chimeric MCH-1R-EGFP clones exhibited EC50 values (0.0366, 0.0462, 0.2117, or 0.2499 nM) indistinguishable from that of a CHO cell clone expressing the wild-type human short isoform of MCH-1R (0.1137 nM).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present invention features MCH-R chimeric and fusion proteins. Such proteins have a variety of different uses including being used as a research tool to study MCH-R function and dynamics, and being used to screen for MCH-R agonists and antagonists.

[0023] The MCH-R provides a target to achieve different beneficial effects in a patient. Preferably, MCH-R activity is modulated to achieve one or more of the following: weight loss, weight gain, treat cancer (e.g., colon or breast), reduce pain, treat diabetes, reduce stress, or teat sexual dysfunction.

[0024] Modulation of MCH-R activity can be achieved by evoking a response at the MCH receptor or by altering a response evoked by an MCH receptor agonist or antagonist. Compounds modulating MCH-R receptor activity include agonists, antagonists, and allosteric modulators. Generally, MCH-R antagonists and allosteric modulators negatively affecting activity will be used to achieve weight loss, treat cancer (e.g., colon or breast), reduce pain, reduce stress, or teat sexual dysfunction; and MCH-R agonists and allosteric modulators positively affecting activity will be used to produce a weight gain.

[0025] Preferably, MCH-R activity is modulated to achieve a weight loss or to treat diabetes in a patient. Diabetes mellitus can be treated by modulating MCH-R activity to achieve, for example, one or both of the following: enhancing glucose tolerance or decreasing insulin resistance.

[0026] Excessive body weight is a contributing factor to different diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemias, cardiovascular disease, gall stones, osteoarthritis, and certain forms of cancers. Bringing about a weight loss can be used, for example, to reduce the likelihood of such diseases and as part of a treatment for such diseases. Weight reduction can be achieved by modulating MCH-R activity to obtain, for example, one or more of the following effects: reducing appetite, increasing metabolic rate, reducing fat intake, or reducing carbohydrate craving.

[0027] Increasing body weight is particularly useful for a patient having a disease or disorder, or under going a treatment, accompanied by weight loss. Examples of diseases or disorders accompanied by weight loss include anorexia, AIDS, wasting, cachexia, and frail elderly. Examples of treatments accompanied by weight loss include chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

[0028] MCH-R Chimeric Proteins

[0029] MCH-R chimeric proteins contain an MCH-R polypeptide region made up by at least two or more polypeptide regions characteristic of MCH-R found in different species. The different polypeptide regions that are present provide for an N-terminal extracellular domain; a transmembrane domain made up of transmembrane regions, extracellular loop regions, and intracellular loop regions; and an intracellular carboxy terminus domain. Examples of MCH-R amino acid sequences include the following: SEQ. ID. NO.1 (human MCH1R long form), SEQ. ID. NO. 2 (human MCH1R short form), and SEQ. ID. NO. 3 (mouse MCH1R).

[0030] Preferably, the MCH-R chimeric protein comprises an MCH-R binding region characteristic of a human MCH-R along with transmembrane and intracellular domains characteristic of a non-human MCH-R. There are substantial amino acid differences between the N-terminus of the MCH-R present in humans and that present in other species such as mice. Such differences could result in, for example, the mouse MCH-R having different intrinsic properties and responsiveness to agonists and/or antagonists than the human MCH-R. The presence of a human MCH-R binding region provides for a “humanized” MCH-R chimeric receptor.

[0031] The transmembrane and intracellular domains characteristic of a non-human MCH-R can be used in conjunction with a non-human host to provide a more naturally occurring environment for these regions. For example, an MCH-R chimeric having mouse transmembrane and intracellular domains are preferably used in murine cells lines or in transgenic mice.

[0032] MCH-R chimeric proteins may contain regions other than extracellular, transmembrane, and intracellular domains that do not substantially decrease the activity of the protein. Preferably, additional regions do not cause a decrease of more than about 25% of MCH-R activity as measured using one or more of the assays described in the examples provided below. Examples of additional regions that may be present include fluorescent protein regions and linker regions.

[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention, the MCH-R chimeric protein comprises: (a) an MCH binding region characteristic of a first species and (b) a transmembrane and intracellular domain region characteristic of a second species joined directly, or though a linker, to the carboxy side of the MCH binding region. Preferably, the protein comprises, consists, or consists essentially of an MCH-R polypeptide having a sequence similarity of at least about 75%, at least 85%, or at least 95% with either SEQ. D. NO. 4 (human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R) or SEQ. ID. NO. 5 (human long form/mouse species chimeric). Even more preferably, the protein comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of, SEQ. ID. NO. 4 or SEQ. ID. NO. 5.

[0034] Sequence similarity for polypeptides can be determined by BLAST. (Altschul et al., 1997. Nucleic Acids Res. 25, 3389-3402, hereby incorporated by reference herein.) In an embodiment of the present invention, sequence similarity is determined using tBLASTn search program with the following parameters: MATRIX:BLOSUM62, PER RESIDUE GAP COST:11, and Lambda ratio:1.

[0035] Differences in naturally occurring amino acids are due to different R groups. An R group effects different properties of the amino acid such as physical size, charge, and hydrophobicity. Amino acids can be divided into different groups as follows: neutral and hydrophobic (alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, tryptophan, phenylalanine, and methionine); neutral and polar (glycine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, asparagine, and glutamine); basic (lysine, arginine, and histidine); and acidic (aspartic acid and glutamic acid).

[0036] Generally, in substituting different amino acids it is preferable to exchange amino acids having similar properties. Substituting different amino acids within a particular group, such as substituting valine for leucine, arginine for lysine, and asparagine for glutamine are good candidates for not causing a change in polypeptide functioning.

[0037] Changes outside of different amino acids groups can also be made. Preferably, such changes are made taking into account the position of the amino acid to be substituted in the polypeptide. For example, arginine can substitute more freely for nonpolor amino acids in the interior of a polypeptide then glutamate because of its long aliphatic side chain. (See, Ausubel, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley, 1987-1998, Supplement 33 Appendix 1C.)

[0038] MCH-R Fusion Proteins

[0039] MCH-R fusion proteins contain an MCH-R polypeptide region and a fluorescent protein region either directly joined together or joined together through a linker. These regions provide MCH-R activity and a marker for evaluating MCH-R dynamics.

[0040] An MCH-R polypeptide region provides functional MCH-R activity and includes naturally occurring MCH-R, chimeric MCH-R, and derivatives thereof. Preferred derivatives thereof have a sequence similarity of at least about 75%, at least about 85%, or at least about 95% to a naturally occurring MCH-R or a chimeric MCH-R described herein.

[0041] A fluorescent protein region contains a chromophore that fluoresces. Preferably, the fluorescent protein region is the green fluorescent protein of the jellyfish Aequorea Victoria or a derivative thereof. Preferred derivatives have a sequence similarity of at least about 75%, at least about 85%, or at least about 95% to the Aequorea Victoria green fluorescent protein (GFP). The Aequorea Victoria green fluorescent protein and examples of derivatives thereof are described by Cormack et al., 1996. Gene 17, 33-38; Yang et al., 1996. Nucleic Acids Research 24, 4592-4593; Tsien et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,048; Tsien et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,079; and Cormack et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,387 (each of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein).

[0042] In different embodiments the MCH-R polypeptide region comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of, a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ. ID. NO. 1, SEQ. ID. NO. 2, SEQ. ID. NO. 3, SEQ. ID. NO. 4, and SEQ. ID. NO. 5; and the fluorescent polypeptide region comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of, an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID. NO. 6 (GFP), SEQ. ID. NO. 7 (EGFP), SEQ. ID. NO. 8 (Emerald), SEQ. ID. NO. 9 (Topaz), and SEQ. ID. NO. 10 (W1b). EGFP, Emerald, Topaz, and W1b are derivatives of GFP.

[0043] The optionally present linker is a polypeptide region that is preferably from 1 to about 100 amino acids in length. In different embodiments the linker is up to 75, 50 or 25 amino acids in length.

[0044] Preferably, the MCH-R fusion protein comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of, the MCH-R polypeptide region and the fluorescent polypeptide region. More preferably, the protein comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of, an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ. ID. NO. 11 (mouse MCH1R-linker-EGFP), SEQ. ID. NO. 12 (mouse MCH1R/EGFP direct fusion), SEQ. ID. NO. 13 (human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-linker-EGFP), or SEQ. ID. NO. 14 (human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-linker-EGFP).

[0045] MCH-R Chimeric and Fusion Proteins Nucleic Acid and Expression

[0046] MCH-R chimeric and fusion proteins can be produced using techniques well known in the art. Preferably, such proteins are produced by recombinant expression inside a host cell by way of an expression vector or by way of nucleic acid integrated into the host genome. Examples of nucleic acid sequences encoding for MCH-R polypeptide regions, fluorescent protein regions, MCH-R chimeric proteins, and MCH-R fusion proteins are provided for by SEQ. ID. NOs. 15-29 (see Example 1, infra).

[0047] Starting with a particular amino acid sequence and the known degeneracy of the genetic code, a large number of different encoding nucleic acid sequences can be obtained. The degeneracy of the genetic code arises because almost all amino acids are encoded for by different combinations of nucleotide triplets or codons. The translation of a particular codon into a particular amino acid is well known in the art (see, e.g., Lewin GENES IV, p. 119, Oxford University Press, 1990). Amino acids are encoded for by codons as follows:

[0048] A=Ala=Alanine: codons GCA, GCC, GCG, GCU

[0049] C=Cys-Cysteine: codons UGC, UGU

[0050] D=Asp=Aspartic acid: codons GAC, GAU

[0051] E=Glu=Glutamic acid: codons GAA, GAG

[0052] F=Phe=Phenylalanine: codons UUC, UUU

[0053] G=Gly=Glycine: codons GGA, GGC, GGG, GGU

[0054] H=His=Histidine: codons CAC, CAU

[0055] I=Ile=Isoleucine: codons AUA, AUC, AUU

[0056] K=Lys=Lysine: codons AAA, AAG

[0057] L=Leu=Leucine: codons UUA, UUG, CUA, CUC, CUG, CUU

[0058] M=Met=Methionine: codon AUG

[0059] N=Asn=Asparagine: codons AAC, AAU

[0060] P=Pro=Proline: codons CCA, CCC, CCG, CCU

[0061] Q=Gln=Glutamine: codons CAA, CAG

[0062] R=Arg=Arginine: codons AGA, AGG, CGA, CGC, CGG, CGU

[0063] S=Ser=Serine: codons AGC, AGU, UCA, UCC, UCG, UCU

[0064] T=Thr=Threonine: codons ACA, ACC, ACG, ACU

[0065] V=Val=Valine: codons GUA, GUC, GUG, GUU

[0066] W=Trp=Tryptophan: codon UGG

[0067] Y=Tyr=Tyrosine: codons UAC, UAU

[0068] Examples of techniques for introducing nucleic acid into a cell and expressing the nucleic acid to produce protein are provided in references such as Ausubel, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley, 1987-1998, and Sambrook, et al., in Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2^(nd) Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989.

[0069] An expression vector contains recombinant nucleic acid encoding for a polypeptide along with regulatory elements for proper transcription and processing. The recombinant nucleic acid contains two or more nucleic acid regions not naturally associated with each other. Exogenous regulatory elements such as an exogenous promoter can be useful for expressing recombinant nucleic acid in a particular host. Examples of expression vectors are cloning vectors, modified cloning vectors, specifically designed plasmids, and viruses.

[0070] Generally, the regulatory elements that are present in an expression vector include a transcriptional promoter, a ribosome binding site, a terminator, and an optionally present operator. Another preferred element is a polyadenylation signal providing for processing in eukaryotic cells. Preferably, an expression vector also contains an origin of replication for autonomous replication in a host cell, a selectable marker, a limited number of useful restriction enzyme sites, and a potential for high copy number.

[0071] Expression vectors providing suitable levels of polypeptide expression in different hosts are well known in the art. Mammalian expression vectors well known in the art include pcDNA3 (Invitrogen), pMC1neo (Stratagene), pXTI1 (Stratagene), pSG5 (Stratagene), EBO-pSV2-neo (ATCC 37593), pBPV-1(8-2) (ATCC 37110), pdBPV-MMTneo(342-12) (ATCC 37224), pRSVgpt (ATCC 37199), pRSVneo (ATCC 37198), pSV2-dhfr (ATCC 37146), pUCTag (ATCC 37460), pCI-neo (Promega) and .lambda.ZD35 (ATCC 37565). Bacterial expression vectors well known in the art include pET11a (Novagen), lambda gt11 (Invitrogen), pcDNAII (Invitrogen), and pKK223-3 (Pharmacia). Fungal cell expression vectors well known in the art include pYES2 (Invitrogen) and Pichia expression vector (Invitrogen). Insect cell expression vectors well known in the art include Blue Bac III (Invitrogen).

[0072] Recombinant host cells may be prokaryotic or eukaryotic. Examples of recombinant host cells include the following: bacteria such as E. coli; fungal cells such as yeast; mammalian cells such as human, bovine, porcine, monkey, hampster, and rodent; and insect cells such as Drosophila and silkworm derived cell lines. Commercially available mammalian cell lines include L cells L-M(TK.sup.-) (ATCC CCL 1.3), L cells L-M (ATCC CCL 1.2), 293 (ATCC CRL 1573), Raji (ATCC CCL 86), CV-1 (ATCC CCL 70), COS-1 (ATCC CRL 1650), COS-7 (ATCC CRL 1651), CHO-K1 (ATCC CCL 61), 3T3 (ATCC CCL 92), NIH/3T3 (ATCC CRL 1658), HeLa (ATCC CCL 2), C127I (ATCC CRL 1616), BS-C-1 (ATCC CCL 26) and MRC-5 (ATCC CCL 171).

[0073] To enhance expression in a particular host it may be useful to modify the sequence to take into account codon usage of the host. Codon usage of different organisms are well known in the art. (See, Ausubel, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley, 1987-1998, Supplement 33 Appendix 1C.)

[0074] Expression vectors may be introduced into host cells using standard techniques. Examples of such techniques include transformation, transfection, lipofection, protoplast fusion, and electroporation.

[0075] Nucleic acid encoding for a polypeptide can be expressed in a cell without the use of an expression vector employing, for example, synthetic mRNA or native mRNA. Additionally, mRNA can be translated in various cell-free systems such as wheat germ extracts and reticulocyte extracts, as well as in cell based systems, such as frog oocytes. Introduction of mRNA into cell based systems can be achieved, for example, by microinjection.

[0076] Techniques for producing transgenic animals are well known in the art. Examples of such techniques are provided for by Teratocarcinomas and embryonic stem cells: a practical approach. Ed. By E. J. Robertson, IRL Press Limited, Oxford, England (1987); and Gene Targeting: a practical approach. Ed. By A. L. Joyner, Oxford University Press Inc. New York, N.Y. (1993).

[0077] G-Protein Coupled Receptor Assays

[0078] MCH-R is G-protein coupled receptor. Techniques for measuring different G-protein activities, such as Gi/o, Gs, and Gq are well known in the art. MCH-R activity is preferably assayed for by measuring either Gi/o or Gq.

[0079] Gi/o and Gs activity can be measured using techniques such as a melonaphore assay, measuring cAMP production, measuring inhibition of cAMP accumulation, and measuring binding of ³⁵S-GTP. cAMP can be measured using different techniques such as radioimmunoassay and indirectly by cAMP responsive gene reporter proteins.

[0080] Gq activity can be measured using techniques such as those measuring intracellular Ca²⁺. Examples of techniques well known in the art that can be employed to measure Ca²⁺ include the use of dyes such as Fura-2 and the use of Ca²⁺-bioluminescent sensitive reporter proteins such as aequorin. An example of a cell line employing aequorin to measure G-protein activity is HEK293/aeq17. (Button et al., 1993. Cell Calcium 14, 663-671, and Feighner et al., 1999. Science 284, 2184-2188, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.)

[0081] Functional assays can be performed using individual compounds or preparations containing different compounds. A preparation containing different compounds where one or more compounds affect MCH-R chimeric or fusion protein activity can be divided into smaller groups of compounds to identify the compound(s) affecting MCH-R chimeric or fusion protein activity. In an embodiment of the present invention a test preparation containing at least 10 compounds is used in a functional assay.

[0082] Functional assays can be performed using recombinantly produced MCH-R chimeric or fusion protein present in different environments. Such environments include, for example, cell extracts and purified cell extracts containing the MCH-R chimeric or fusion protein expressed from recombinant nucleic acid and an appropriate membrane for the polypeptide; and the use of a purified MCH-R chimeric or fusion protein produced by recombinant means that is introduced into a different environment suitable for measuring G-protein activity.

[0083] Fluorescent Protein Assays

[0084] Fluorescent protein joined to an MCH receptor can be employed to study different aspects of receptor dynamics including receptor sequestration, receptor densitization, and receptor localization. The fluorescent protein can be used in in vitro or in vivo systems.

[0085] In vitro applications of fluorescent proteins can be performed using techniques well known in the art. Examples of such techniques are provided by Barak et al., 1997. Mol Pharm. 5, 177-184; Tarasova et al., 1997. J. Biol. Chem. 272, 14817-14824; Lin et al., 1998. Mol. Cell. Endo. 146, 27-37; Tarasova et al., 1998. J. Biol. Chem. 273, 15883-15886; Kallal et al., 1998. J. Biol. Chem. 273, 322-328; Groake et al., 1999. J. Biol. Chem. 274, 23263-23269; Doherty et al., 1999. Biochem. J. 341, 415-422; crock et al., 1999. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 10123-10128; Cornea et al., 1999. Endocrinology 140, 4272-4280; and Lembo et al., 1999. Nat. Cell Biol. 1, 267-271 (these references are not admitted to be prior art to the claimed invention).

[0086] In vivo applications of fluorescent proteins can be performed using techniques well known in the art. Examples of such techniques are provided by Mombaerts et al., 1996. Cell 87, 675-686; Rodriquez et al., 1999. Cell 97, 199-208; Spergel et al., 1999. J. Neurosci. 1, 2037-2050; and Zuo et al., 1999. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 14100-14105 (these references are not admitted to be prior art to the claimed invention).

EXAMPLES

[0087] Examples are provided below to further illustrate different features and advantages of the present invention. The examples also illustrate useful methodology for practicing the invention. These examples do not limit the claimed invention.

Example 1

[0088] Amino acid and nucleic acid sequence information for SEQ. ID. NOs. 1-29 are provided below. SEQ. ID. NOs. 1-29 include examples of polypeptide and encoding nucleic acid sequences for MCH-R polypeptide regions, fluorescent polypeptide regions, fusion proteins and chimeric proteins. In some cases the encoding nucleic acid is shown with additional nucleic acid upsteam or downstream from an open reading frame. Human long form MCH1R: MSVGAMKKGVGRAVGLGGGSGCQATEEDPLPNCGACA SEQ. ID. NO.1 PGQGGRRWRLPQPAWVEGSSARLWEQATGTGWMDLEA SLLPTGPNASNTSDGPDNLTSAGSPPRTGSISYTIIM PSVFGTICLLGIIGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHWCNNVPDI FIINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFMIHQLMGNGVWHFGETMCT LITAMDANSQFTSTYILTAMAIDRYLATVHPISSTKF RKPSVATLVICLLWALSFISITPVWLYARLIPFPGGA VGCGIRLPNPDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPFVVITAAY VRILQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLRTKRVTRTAIAICLVF FVCWAPYYVLQLTQLSISRPTLTFVYLYNAAISLGYA NSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQGQLRAVSN AQTADEERTESKGT Human short form MCH1R: MDLEASLLPTGPNASNTSDGPDNLTSAGSPPRTGSIS SEQ. ID. NO.2 YINIIMPSVFGTICLLGIIGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHWC NNVPDIFIINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFMIHQLMGNGVWHF GETMCTLITAMDANSQFTSTYILTAMAIDRYLATVHP ISSTKFRKPSVATLVICLLWALSFISITPVWLYARLI PFPGGAVGCGIRLPNPDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPFV VITAAYVRILQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLRTKRVTRTAI AICLVFFVCWAPYYVLQLTQLSISRPTLTFVYLYNAA ISLGYANSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQGQ LRAVSNAQTADEERTESKGT Mouse MCH1R: MDLQASLLSTGPNASNISDGQDNFTLAGPPPRTRSVS SEQ. ID. NO.3 YINIIMPSVFGTICLLGIVGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHWC SNVPDIFIINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFMIHQLMGNGVWHF GETMCTLITAMDANSQFTSTYILTAMAIDRYLATVHP ISSTKFRKPSMATLVICLLWALSFISITPVWLYARLI PFPGGAVGCGIRLPNPDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPFV VITAAYVKILQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLRTKRVTRTAI AICLVFFVCWAPYYVLQLTQLSISRPTLTFVYLYNAA ISLGYANSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQGQ LRTVSNAQTADEERTESKGT Human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R: MDLEASLLPTGPNASNTSDGPDNLTSAGSPPRTGSIS SEQ. ID. NO.4 YINIIMIPSVFGTICLLGIIGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHW CNNVPDIFIINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFMIHQLMGNGVWH FGETMCTLITAMDANSQFTSTYILTAMAIDRYLATVH PISSTKFRKPSMATLVICLLWALSFISITPVWLYARL IPFPGGAVGCGIRLPNPDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPF VVITAAYVKILQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLRTKRVTRTA IAICLVFFVCWAPYYVLQLTQLSISRPTLTFVYLYNA AISLGYANSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQG QLRTVSNAQTADEERTESKGT Human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R: MSVGAMKKGVGRAVGLGGGSGCQATEEDPLPNCGACA SEQ. ID. NO.5 PGQGGRRWRLPQPAWVEGSSARLWEQATGTGWMDLEA SLLPTGPNASNTSDGPDNLTSAGSPPRTGSISYIIIM PSVFGTICLLGIIGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHWCNNVPDI FIINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFMIHQLMGNGGVWHFGETMC TLITAMDANSQFTSTYILTAMAIDRYLATVHPISSTK FRKPSMATLVICLLWALSFISITPVWLYARLIPFPGG AVGCGIRLPNPDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPFVVITAA YVKILQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLRTKRVTRTAIAICLV FFVCWAPYYVLQLTQLSISRPTLTFVYLYNAAISLGY ANSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQGQLRTVS NAQTADEERTESKGT GEP: MSKGEELFTGVVPILVELDGDVNGHKFSVSGEGEGDA SEQ. ID. NO.6 TYGKLTLKFICTTGKLPVPWPTLVTTFSYGVQCFSRY PDHMKQHDFFKSAMPEGYVQERTIFFKDDGNYKTRAE VKFEGDTLVNRIELKGIDFKEDGNILGHKLEYNYNSH NVYIMADKQKNGIKVNFKIRHNIEDGSVQLADHYQQN TPIGDGPVLLPDNHYLSTQSALSKDPNEKRDHMVLLE PVTAAGITHGMDELYK EGEP: MVSKGEELFTGVVPILVELDGDVNGHKFSVSGEGEGD SEQ. ID. NO.7 ATYGKLTLKFICTTGKLPVPWPTLVTTLTYGVQCFSR YPDHMKQHDFFKSAMPEGYVQERTIFFKDDGNYKTRA EVKFEGDTLVNRIELKGIDFKEDGNILGHKLEYNYNS HNVYIMADKQKNGILKVNFKIRHNIEDGSVQLADHYQ QNTPIGDGPVLLPDNHYLSTQSALSKDPNEKRDHMVL LEFVTAAGITLGMDELYK

[0089] SEQ. ID. NO. 8: Emerald

[0090] Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser Gly Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr Leu Thr Tyr Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ala Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Lys Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr Asn Tyr Asn Ser His Lys Val Tyr Ile Thr Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn Gly Ile Lys Val Asn Phe Lys Thr Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala Leu Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys

[0091] SEQ. ID. NO. 9: Topaz

[0092] Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser Gly Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe He Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr Phe Gly Tyr Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ala Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Arg Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr Asn Tyr Asn Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Met Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn Gly Ile Lys Val Asn Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Tyr Gln Ser Ala Leu Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys

[0093] SEQ. ID. NO. 10: W1B

[0094] Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Arg Phe Ser Val Ser Gly Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr Leu Thr Trp Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ser Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Lys Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr Asn Tyr Ile Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Thr Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn Gly Ile Lys Ala His Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala Leu Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys Mouse MCH1R-linker-EGFP: SEQ. ID. NO.11 MDLQASLLSTGPNASNISDGQDNFTLAGPPPRTRSVSYINIIMPSVFGTI CLLGIVGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHWCSNVPDIFIINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFMI HQLMGNGVWHFGETMCTLITAMDANSQFTSTYILTAMAIDRYLATVHPIS STKFRKPSMATLVICLLWALSFISITPVWLYARLIPFPGGAVGCGIRLPN PDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPFVVITAAYVKILQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLR TKRVTRTAIAICLVFFVCWAPYYVLQLTQLSISRPTLTFVYLYNAAISLG YANSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQGQLRTVSNAQTADEERTES KGTVDGTAGPGSIATMVSKGEELFTGVVPILVELDGDVNGHKFSVSGEGE GDATYGKLTKFICTTGKLPVPWPTLVTTLTYGVQCFSRYPDHMKQHDFFK SAMPEGYVQERTIFFKDDGNYKTRAEVKFEGDTLVNRIELKGIDFKEDGN ILGHKLEYNYNSHNVYIMADKQKNGIKVNFKIRHNIEDGSVQLADHYQQN TPIGDGPVLLPDNHYLSTQSALSKDPNEKRDHMVLLEFVTAAGITLGMDE LYK Mouse MCH1R/EGFP direct fusion: SEQ. ID. NO.11 MDLQASLLSTGPNASNISDGQDNFTLAGPPPRTRSVSYINIIMPSVFGTI CLLGIVGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHWCSNVPDIFLIINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFM IHQLMGNGVWHFGETMCTLITAMDANSQFTSTYILTAMAIDRYLATVHPI SSTKFRKPSMATLVICLLWALSFISITPVWLYARLIPPGGAVGCGIRLPN PDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPFVVITAAYVKILQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLR TKRVTRTAIAICLVFFVCWAPYYVLQLTQLSISRPTLTFVYLYNAAISLG YANSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQGQLRTVSNAQTADEERTES KGTMVSKGEELFTGVVPILVELDGDVNGHKFSVSGEGEGDATYGKLTLKF ICTTGKLPVPWPTLVTTLTYGVQCFSRYPDHMKQHDFFKSAMPEGYVQER TIFFKDDGNYKTRAEVKFEGDTLVNRIELKGIDFKEDGNILGHKLEYNYN SHNVYLMADKQKNGIKVNFKIRHNIEDGSVQLADHYQQNTPIGDGPVLLP DNHYLSTQSALSKDPNEKRDHMVLLEFVTAAGITLGMDELYK Human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-linker-EGEP: SEQ. ID. NO.13 MDLEASLLPTGPNASNTSDGPDNLTSAGSPPRTGSISYINIIMPSVFGTI CLLGIIGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHWCNNVPDIFIINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFMI HQLMGNGVWHFGETMCTLITAMDANSQFTSTYILTAMAIDRYLATVIHPI SSTKFRKPSMATLVICLLWALSFISTPVWLYARLIPFPGGAVGCGIRLPN PDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPFVVITAAYVKILQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLR TKRVTRTAIAICLVFFVCWAPYYVLQLTQLSISRPTLTFVYLYNAAISLG YANSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQGQLRTVSNAQTADEERTES KGTVDGTAGPGSIATMVSKGEELFTGVVPILVELDGDVNGHKFSVSGEGE GDATYGKLTLKFICTTGKLPVPWPTLVTLLTYGVQCFSRYPDHMKQHDFF KSAMPEGYVQERTIFFKDDGNYKTRAEVKFEGDTLVNRIELKGIDFKEDG NILGHKLEYNYNSHNVYIMADKQKNGIKVNFKIRHNIEDGSVQLADHYQQ NTPIGDGPVLLPDNHYLSTQSALSKDPNEKRDHMVLLEFVTAAGITLGMD ELYK Human long form/mouse species chimeric MCHLR-linker-EGFP: SEQ. ID. NO.14 MSVGAMKKGVGRAVGLGGGSGCQATEEDPLPNCGACAPGQGGRRWRLPQP AWVEGSSARLWEQATGTGWMDLEASLLPTGPNASNTSDGPDNLTSAGSPP RTGSISYINIIMPSVFGTICLLGIIGNSTVIFAVVKKSKLHWCNNVPDIF IINLSVVDLLFLLGMPFMIHQLMGNGVWHFGETMCTLITAMDANSQFTST YILTAMAIDRYLATVHPISSTKFRKPSMATLVICLLWALSFISITPVWLY ARLIPFPGGAVGCGIRLPNPDTDLYWFTLYQFFLAFALPFVVITAAYVKI LQRMTSSVAPASQRSIRLRTKRVTRTAIAICLVFFVCWAPYYVLQLTQLS ISRPTLTFVYLYNAAISLGYANSCLNPFVYIVLCETFRKRLVLSVKPAAQ GQLRTVSNAQTADEERTESKGTVDGTAGPGSIATMVSKGEELFTGVVPIL VELDGDVNGHKFSVSGEGEGDATYGKLTLKFICTTGKLPVPWPTLVTTLT YGVQCFSRYPDHMKQHDFFKSAMPEGYVQERTIFFKDDGNYKTRAEVKFE GDTLVNRIELKGIDFKEDGNILGHKLEYNYNSHNVYIMADKQKNGIKVNF KIRHNIEDGSVQLADHYQQNTPIGDGPVLLPDNHYLSTQSALSKDPNEKR DHMVLLEFVTAAGITTGMDELYK Human long form MCH1R cDNA: SEQ. ID. NO.15 ATGTCAGTGGGAGCCATGAAGAAGGGAGTGGGGAGGGCAGTTGGGCTTGG AGGCGGCAGCGGCTGCCAGGCTACGGAGGAAGACCCCCTTCCCAACTGCG GGGCTTGCGCTCCGGGACAAGGTGGCAGGCGCTGGAGGCTGCCGCAGCCT GCGTGGGTGGAGGGGAGCTCAGCTCGGTTGTGGGAGCAGGCGACCGGCAC TGGCTGGATGGACCTGGAAGCCTCGCTGCTGCCCACTGGTCCCAACGCCA GCAACACCTCTGATGGCCCCGATAACCTCACTTCGGCAGGATCACCTCCT CGCACGGGGAGCATCTCCTACATCAACATCATCATGCCTTCGGTGTTCGG CACCATCTGCCTCCTGGGCATCATCGGGAACTCCACGGTCATCTTCGCGG TCGTGAAGAAGTCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAACAACGTCCCCGACATCTTC ATCATCAACCTCTCGGTAGTAGATCTCCTCTTTCTCCTGGGCATGCCCTT CATGATCCACCAGCTCATGGGCAATGGGGTGTGGCACTTTGGGGAGACCA TGTGCACCCTCATCACGGCCATGGATGCCAATAGTCAGTTCACCAGCACC TACATCCTGACCGCCATGGCCATTGACCGCTACCTGGCCACTGTCCACCC CATCTCTTCCACGAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCTGTGGCCACCCTGGTGATCT GCCTCCTGTGGGCCCTCTCCTTCATCAGCATCACCCCTGTGTGGCTGTAT GCCAGACTCATCCCCTTCCCAGGAGGTGCAGTGGGCTGCGGCATACGCCT GCCCAACCCAGACACTGACCTCTACTGGTTCACCCTGTACCAGTTTTTCC TGGCCTTTGCCCTGCCTTTTGTGGTCATCACAGCCGCATACGTGAGGATC CTGCAGCGCATGACGTCCTCAGTGGCCCCCGCCTCCCAGCGCAGCATCCG GCTGCGGACAAAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGCCATCGCCATCTGTCTGGTCT TCTTTGTGTGCTGGGCACCCTACTATGTGCTACAGCTGACCCAGTTGTCC ATCAGCCGCCCGACCCTCACCTTTGTCTACTTATACAATGCGGCCATCAG CTTGGGCTATGCCAACAGCTGCCTCAACCCCTTTGTGTACATCGTGCTCT GTGAGACGTTCCGCAAACGCTTGGTCCTGTCGGTGAAGCCTGCAGCCCAG GGGCAGCTTCGCGCTGTCAGCAACGCTCAGACGGCTGACGAGGAGAGGAC AGAAAGCAAAGGCACCTGA Human short form MCHLR cDNA: SEQ. ID. NO.16 ATGGACCTGGAAGCCTCGCTGCTGCCCACTGGTCCCAATGCCAGCAACAC CTCTGATGGCCCCGATAACCTCACTTCGGCAGGATCACCTCCTCGCACGG GGAGCATCTCCTACATCAACATCATCATGCCTTCGGTGTTCGGCACCATC TGCCTCCTGGGCATCATCGGGAACTCCACGGTCATCTTCGCGGTCGTGAA GAAGTCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAACAACGTCCCCGACATCTTCATCATCA ACCTCTCGGTAGTAGATCTCCTCTTTCTCCTGGGCATGCCCTTCATGATC CACCAGCTCATGGGCAATGGGGTGTGGCACTTTGGGGAGACCATGTGCAC CCTCATCACGGCCATGGATGCCAATAGTCAGTTCACCAGCACCTACATCC TGACCGCCATGGCCATTGACCGCTACCTGGCCACTGTCCACCCCATCTCT TCCACGAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCTGTGGCCACCCTGGTGATCTGCCTCCT GTGGGCCCTCTCCTTCATCAGCATCACCCCTGTGTGGCTGTATGCCAGAC TCATCCCCTTCCCAGGAGGTGCAGTGGGCTGCGGCATACGCCTGCCCAAC CCAGACACTGACCTCTACTGGTTCACCCTGTACCAGTTTTTCCTGGCCTT TTGCCCTGCCTTTTGTGGTCATCACAGCCGCATACGTGAGGATCCTGCAG CGCATGACGTCCTCAGTGGCCCCCGCCTCCCAGCGCAGCATCCGGCTGCG GACAAAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGCCATCGCCATCTGTCTGGTCTTCTTTG TGTGCTGGGCACCCTACTATGTGCTACAGCTGACCCAGTTGTCCATCAGC CGCCCGACCCTCACCTTTGTCTACTTATACAATGCGGCCATCAGCTTGGG CTATGCCAACAGCTGCCTCAACCCCTTTGTGTACATCGTGCTCTGTGAGA CGTTCCGCAAACGCTTGGTCCTGTCGGTGAAGCCTGCAGCCCAGGGGCAG CTTCGCGCTGTCAGCAACGCTCAGACGGCTGACGAGGAGAGGACAGAAAG CAAAGGCACCTGA Mouse MCH1R cDNA: Nucleic acid sequence start and stop codons are highlighted: SEQ. ID. NO.17 GGCGGTAGAGGAAGACCCTTTTCTGGACTGCGGGGCTCAAGCTCCGGACA AGGCGGTGGAGGGCGCTGQAGGCTGCCGCAGCCTGCGTGGGTGGACGGGC GCTCCACTCCAGGGAGCAGGCGACCTGCACCGGCTGCATGGATCTGCAAG CCTCGTTGCTGTCCACTGGCCCCAATGCCAGCAACATCTCCGATGGCCAG GATAATTTCACATTGGCGGGGCCACCTCCTCGCACAAGGAGTGTCTCCTA CATCAACATCATCATGCCTTCAGTGTTTGGTACCATCTGTCTCCTGGGCA TTGTGGGAAACTCCACAGTCATTTTTGCCGTGGTGAAGAAATCCAAGCTG CACTGGTGCAGCAACGTCCCTGACATCTTCATCATCAACCTCTCTGTGGT GGATCTGCTTTTCCTGCTGGGCATGCCTTTCATGATCCACCAGCTCATGG GTAATGGTGTCTGGCACTTTGGGGAAACCATGTGCACCCTCATCACAGCC ATGGACGCCAACAGTCAGTTCACCAGCACCTACATCCTGACTGCTATGGC CATTGACCGCTACTTGGCCACCGTCCATCCCATCTCCTCCACCAAGTTCC GGAAGCCCTCCATGGCCACCCTGGTGATCTGCCTCCTGTGGGCTCTCTCG TTCATTAGCATCACTCCTGTGTGGCTCTATGCCAGGCTTATCCCCTTCCC AGGGGGTGCTGTGGGCTGTGGCATCCGCCTACCAAACCCAGATACTGATC TTTACTGGTTCACTCTGTATCAGTTTTTCCTGGCCTTCGCCCTTCCGTTT GTGGTCATCACTGCTGCGTACGTGAAAATACTACAGCGCATGACGTCTTC GGTGGCCCCAGCCTCTCAACGCAGCATCCGGCTTCGGACAAAGAGGGTGA CCCGCACAGCCATTGCCATCTGTCTGGTCTTCTTTGTGTGCTGGGCGCCC TACTACGTGCTGCAGCTGACCCAGTTGTCCATCAGCCGCCCGACCCTCAC ATTCGTCTACCTGTACAATGCGGCCATCAGCTTGGGCTATGCCAACAGCT GCCTCAATCCCTTTGTGTACATAGTACTCTGTGAGACCTTTCGAAAACGC TTGGTGCTGTCGGTGAAGCCCGCGGCCCAGGGGCAGCTTCGCACGGTCAG CAATGCTCAGACAGCTGACGAGGAGAGGACAGAAAGCAAAGGCACCTGAC AATCCCCCCCGGTCACCTCCAAGTCAGGTCACCGCATCAAACCATGGGGA GAGATACTGAGATAAACCCGGGGCTACCCTGGGAGGATGCAGAAGCTGGA GGCTGGGGGCTTGTAGCAAACCACATTCCACGGGGCCCACAAATTGCTAG GGAGGCTTGCAGCCTGGTTTGGGGGGGAAGCCTCAGACTGCAGGGATCCC CTTGACAGAATAGAAGCGGAGCAAGAAGGAAAGGGTGGTTTGACTGGTTC TCGGGGTCTGTATCTGTTGGCTCGCATATATCTTTCTCTCAAGGGAAGAA GGCGGAGGTGCCTAGCTGGGTTCCTTTAAAACTAGGCAGGGCTAGGATCT GAGCAGCTAGGGCTCTACTGTGAGACTGGGCAAGCCGAGCGTTCCCTCCC ATCTCTCATTGGTGTTGATAGAAGGCAGTCTTTCTCCCAAGCTGGTGGAT CTCCTGAAGCACGCTGCCTGGGCTCCAGCATCCTGTGCGGATTTCACGTT CTCTTTAGGGGATGCATGTTGACACTGGGGTGTGGGCTCTGAGCCCACAG GAGTTTAAAAAACCAAAAGAGCTCAGAGTGTCGAGAGAGACCCAATCACC GAGAATGACAAGGCAACCTGGGGTGGATGTGGATCTTGAAACTAATAAAA AGGGGTTTTCACAGTGACAGCGACATTCTCTTCATAGGGCACAGCTGTCA GTCTATGGCTGATCCAGAGCGAGCATCCATGAATTCTGCATGTGCAGGGG TCACTCTAATACCTGATATGTTGGCATCATCTTTGTGCTTGAGCCTTCCN CTCCCAAATGGGAATGAAATAAAGGCAAATTCCCNCCCCCCCCAAAAAAG GGGNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Mouse MCH1R genomic DNA: Nucleic acid sequence start and stop codons, as well as intron bor- ders, are highlighted: SEQ. ID. NO.18 GGCGGTAGAGGAAGACCCTTTTCTGGACTGCGGGGCTCAAGCTCCGGACA AGGCGGTGGAGGGCGCTGGAGGCTGCCGCAGCCTGCGTGGGTGGACGGGC GCTCCACTCCAGGGAGCAGGCGACCTGCACCGGCTGCATGGATCTGCAAG CCTCGTTGCTGTCCACTGGCCCCAATGCCAGCAACATCTCCGATGGCCAG GATAATTTCACATTGGCGGGTGAGTCGAGTTGGAGTCCTCCCTCCTCCGG GATGGGTGTGGAAAATGGGAAGGTTTCACCTCCCAAGCCAAACTGCCTGG GAAACTTTATCTTACAGTTCTTGGTGATAAGATCTGCAGTCGGCTTTGCC TGAAGAGGAAGAGGAGAGGAGGGGACACCAGCTAGGACAGAAGGGGCAGG GAGGAATAGAGATGGGGCAGAGGCACATTTAGAAACAACAAGGGTTGGTG ACAAGACGTGAGGCAGGCAGGCTTGAGGGGAAAGCTTGCTGATGAGTCCC AAATATGCTTTGCAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAATCAAGGCTGGAGAAGCAA GCAAGCAAGACAGCAAGACAGCGGGCGGGTAGTATGTGGGAGCCAGCAGA AGCGCTTTGATTCACCGCTATCCTGGGCTCAATCCTCTGGCCTCGCACTG GGGAAATGGGGTCTGAGTGGTCCTTGCTGTCTTCTGGCAAAGGCTGCTGG GAGCAAAAGACTTCACAGGGCGTGAGAGGATTAACTTTTCTGGTGAATTA AGCTTCTTGACATTTGCAGAACGTCAATGCCTTAAAATTCTAGCTCTGAA GGAGAAGGGAATGAAGGGGAAAGAGGGAAGGTTGGTGTGGAGAAATTCCC AAGCTTCTGGGGTGTAACACAGCTCCAGTCCCTACCCTATTGGGAAAGCC CAGACTCAGGAGACATGGTCCAAGGAAATCCCTGACAGAAAACCGGGAGA GGGCAGGGCTGTGGAGCCTGAAACACACCCCACACCCATGGTGACAGTCA CTTCTCACATATGCCTAGGAACCTATCTGAAACCTTTGGCCATCTCTCTC TGAAAAGATGAGGCTGCAAATACACACACACACACACACACACACACACA CACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACAAATGTCCTTCAAGCCT TTTTGACAAGGTTTTCTGGTGGATCCCGGGGATATGAAGTTGTTCTCAGC AGATATCTGGGAGTCTTGACTCCTGGCCCTCTGAGTAAATGGATGAAGCG AAGAAGAATGGGGTCCTCTGAGTAACAGGTGGATCTAGAAAATCCTATAG GAGTCACCAGGGCACGGTGGAGGAGGGTAAGGTACAGAACTAACAATAGC CCGAGAAGGGGAAACAGCAGGAGATGATTCCAGAGACGTAGTGACCCCAA GCTGCAAGGGAAAGCATGAGGGGCCAGCAGGAAGGCCGACATGGCAGGTT GTCAGCTTCTAGATCGGAAGGCGGGTCACACTTGCTCTTTCTATCCTCAG GGCCACCTCCTCGCACAAGGAGTGTCTCCTACATCAACATCATCATGCCT TCAGTGTTTGGTACCATCTGTCTCCTGGGCATTGTGGGAAACTCCACAGT CATTTTTGCCGTGGTGAAGAAATCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAGCAACGTCC CTGACATCTTCATCATCAACCTCTCTGTGGTGGATCTGCTTTTCCTGCTG GGCATGCCTTTCATGATCCACCAGCTCATGGGTAATGGTGTCTGGCACTT TGGGGAAACCATGTGCACCCTCATCACAGCCATGGACGCCAACAGTCAGT TCACCAGCACCTACATCCTGACTGCTATGGCCATTGACCGCTACTTGGCC ACCGTCCATCCCATCTCCTCCACCAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCCATGGCCAC CCTGGTGATCTGCCTCCTGTGGGCTCTCTCGTTCATTAGCATCACTCCTG TGTGGCTCTATGCCAGGTTATCCCCTTCCCAGGGGGTGCTGTGGGCTGTG GCATCCGCCTACCAAACCCAGATACTGATCTTTACTGGTTCACTCTGTAT CAGTTTTTCCTGGCCTTCGCCCTTCCGTTTGTGGTCATCACTGCTGCGTA CGTGAAAATACTACAGCGCATGACGTCTTCGGTGGCCCCAGCCTCTCAAC GCAGCATCCGGCTTCGGACAAAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGCCATTGCCATC TGTCTGGTCTTCTTTGTGTGCTGGGCGCCCTACTACGTGCTGCAGCTGAC CCAGTTGTCCATCAGCCGCCCGACCCTCACATTCGTCTACCTGTACAATG CGGCCATCAGCTTGGGCTATGCCAACAGCTGCCTCAATCCCTTTGTGTAC ATAGTACTCTGTGAGACCTTTCGAAAACGCTTGGTGCTGTCGGTGAAGCC CGCGGCCCAGGGGCAGCTTCGCACGGTCAGCAATGCTCAGACAGCTGACG AGGAGAGGACAGAAAGCAAAGGCACCTGACAATCCCCCCCGGTCACCTCC AAGTCAGGTCACCGCATCAAACCATGGGGAGAGATACTGAGATAAACCCG GGGCTACCCTGGGAGGATGCAGAAGCTGGAGGCTGGGGGCTTGTAGCAAA CCACATTCCACGGGGCCCACAAATTGCTAGGGAGGCTTGCAGCCTGGTTG GGGGGGAAGCCTCAGACTGCAGGGATCCCCTTGACAGAATAGAAGCGGAG CAAGAAGGAAAGGGTGGTTTGACTGGTTCTCGGGGTCTGTATCTGTTGGC TCGCATATATCTTCTCTCAAGGGAAGAAGGCGGAGGTGCCTAGCTGGGTT CCTTTAAAACTAGGCAGGGCTAGGATCTGAGCAGCTAGGGCTCTACTGTG AGACTGGGCAAGCCGAGCGTTCCCTCCCATCTCTCATTGGTGTTGATAGA AGGCAGTCTTTCTCCCAAGCTGGTGGATCTCCTGAAGCACGCTGCCTGGG CTCCAGCATCCTGTGCGGATTTCACGTTCTCTTAGGGGATGCATGTTGAC ACTGGGGTGTGGGCTCTGAGCCCACAGGAGTTTAAAAAACCAAAAGAGCT CAGAGTGTCGAGAGAGACCCAATCACCGAGAATGACAAGGCAACCTGGGG TGGATGTGGATCTTGAAACTAATAAAAAGGGGTTTTCACAGTGACAGCGA CATTCTCTTCATAGGGCACAGCTGTCAGTCTATGGCTGATCCAGAGCGAG CATCCATGAATTCTGCATGTGCAGGGGTCACTCTAATACCTGATATGTTG GCATCATCTTTGTGCTTGAGCCTTCCNCTCCCAAATGGGAATGAAATAAA GGCAAATTCCCNCCCCCCCCAAAAAAGGGGNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAA Human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R: SEQ. ID. NO.19 ATGGACCTGGAAGCCTCGCTGCTGCCCACTGGTCCCAATGCCAGCAACAC CTCTGATGGCCCCGATAACCTCACTTCGGCAGGATCACCTCCTCGCACGG GGAGCATCTCCTACATCAACATCATCATGCCTTCGGTGTTCGGCACCATC TGCCTCCTGGGCATCATCGGGAACTCCACGGTCATCTTCGCGGTCGTGAA GAAGTCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAACAACGTCCCCGACATCTTCATCATCA ACCTCTCGGTAGTAGATCTCCTCTTTCTCCTGGGCATGCCCTTCATGATC CACCAGCTCATGGGCAATGGGGTGTGGCACTTGGGGAGACCATGTGCACC CTCATCACGGCCATGGATGCCAATAGTCAGTTCACCAGCACCTACATCCT GACCGCCATGGCCATTGACCGCTACCTGGCCACTGTCCACCCCATCTCTT CCACGAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCCATGGCCACCCTGGTGATCTGCCTCCTG TGGGCTCTCTCGTTCATTAGCATCACTCCTGTGTGGCTCTATGCCAGGCT TATCCCCTTCCCAGGGGGTGCTGTGGGCTGTGGCATCCGCCTACCAAACC CAGATACTGATCTTACTGGTTCACTCTGTATCAGTTTTTCCTGGCCTTCG CCCTTCCGTTGTGGTCATCACTGCTGCGTACGTGAAAATACTACAGCGCA TGACGTCTTCGGTGGCCCCAGCCTCTCAACGCAGCATCCGGCTTCGGACA AAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGCCATTGCCATCTGTCTGGTCTTCTTTGTGTG CTGGGCGCCCTACTACGTGCTGCAGCTGACCCAGTTGTCCATCAGCCGCC CGACCCTCACATTCGTCTACCTGTACAATGCGGCCATCAGCTTGGGCTAT GCCAACAGCTGCCTCAATCCCTTGTGTACATAGTACTCTGTGAGACCTTT CGAAAACGCTTGGTGCTGTCGGTGAAGCCCGCGGCCCAGGGGCAGCTTTC GCACGGTCAGCAATGCTCAGACAGCTGACGAGGAGAGGACAGAAAGCAAA GGCACCTGA Human long formlmouse species chimeric MCH1R: SEQ. ID. NO.20 ATGTCAGTGGGAGCCATGAAGAAGGGAGTGGGGAGGGCAGTTGGGCTTG GAGGCGGCAGCGGCTGCCAGGCTACGGAGGAAGACCCCCTTCCCAACTG CGGGGCTTGCGCTCCGGGACAAGQTGGCAGGCGCTGGAGGCTGCCGCAG CCTGCGTGGGTGGAGGGGAGCTCAGCTCGGTTGTGGGAGCAGGCGACCG GCACTGGCTGGATGGACCTGGAAGCCTCGCTGCTGCCCACTGGTCCCAA CGCCAGCAACACCTCTGATGGCCCCGATAACCTCACTTCGGCAGGATCA CCTCCTCGCACGGGGAGCATCTCCTACATCAACATCATCATGCCTTCGG TGTTCGGCACCATCTGCCTCCTGGGCATCATCGGGAACTCCACGGTCAT CTTCGCGGTCGTGAAGAAGTCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAACAACGTCCCC GACATCTTCATCATCAACCTCTCGGTAGTAGATCTCCTCTTTCTCCTGG GCATGCCCTTCATGATCCACCAGCTCATGGGCAATGGGGTGTGGCACTT TGGGGAGACCATGTGCACCCTCATCACGGCCATGGATGCCAATAGTCAG TTCACCAGCACCTACATCCTGACCGCCATGGCCATTGACCGCTACCTGG CCACTGTCCACCCCATCTCTTCCACGAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCCATGGC CACCCTGGTGATCTGCCTCCTGTGGGCTCTCTCGTTCATTAGCATCACT CCTGTGTGGCTCTATGCCAGGCTTATCCCCTTCCCAGGGGGTGCTGTGG GCTGTGGCATCCGCCTACCAAACCCAGATACTGATCTTTACTGGTTCAC TCTGTATCAGTTTTTCCTGGCCTTCGCCCTTCCGTTTGTGGTCATCACT GCTGCGTACGTGAAAATACTACAGCGCATGACGTCTTCGGTGGCCCCAG CCTCTCAACGCAGCATCCGGCTTCGGACAAAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGC CATTGCCATCTGTCTGGTCTTCTTTGTGTGCTGGGCGCCCTACTACGTG CTGCAGCTGACCCAGTTGTCCATCAGCCGCCCGACCCTCACATTCGTCT ACCTGTACAATGCGGCCATCAGCTTGGGCTATGCCAACAGCTGCCTCAA TCCCTTTGTGTACATAGTACTCTGTGAGACCTTTCGAAAACGCTTGGTG CTGTCGGTGAAGCCCGCGGCCCAGGGGCAGCTTCGCACGGTCAGCAATG CTCAGACAGCTGACGAGGAGAGGACAGAAAGCAAAGGCACCTGA Aequorea victoria Green Fluorescent Protein (GTP) cDNA: Nucleic acid sequence start and stop codons are highlighted: SEQ. ID. NO.21 TACACACGAATAAAAGATAACAAAGATGAGTAAAGGAGAAGAACTTTTCA CTGGAGTTGTCCCAATTCTTGTTGAATTAGATGGTGATGTTAATGGGCAC AAATTTTCTGTCAGTGQAGAGGGTGAAGGTGATGCAACATACGGAAAACT TACCCTTAAATTTATTTGCACTACTGGAAAACTACCTGYfCCATGGCCAA CACTTGTCACTACTTTCTCTTATGGTGTTCAATGCTTTTCAAGATACCCA GATCATATGAAACAGCATGACTTTTCAAGAGTGCCATGCCCGAAGGTTAT GTACAGGAAAGAACTATATTTTTCAAAGATGACGGGAACTACAAGACACG TGCTGAAGTCAAGTTTTGAAGGTGATACCCTTGTTAATAGAATCGAGTTA AAAGGTATTGATTPTAAAGAAGATGGAAACATTCTTGGACACAAATTGGA ATACAACTATAACTCACACAATGTATACATCATGGCAGACAAACAAAAGA ATGGAATCAAAGTTAACTTCAAAATTAGACACAACATTGAAGATGGAAGC GTTCAACTAGCAGACCATTATCAACAAAATACTCCAATTGGCGATGGCCC TGTCCTTTTACCAGACAACCATTACCTGTCCACACAATCTGCCCTTTCGA AAGATCCCAACGAAAAGAGAGACCACATGGTCCTTCTTGAGTTTGTAACA GCTGCTGGGATTACACATGGCATGGATGAACTATACAAATAAATGTCCAG ACTTCCAATTGACACTAAAGTGTCCGAACAATTACTAAAATCTCAGGGTT CCTGGTTAAATTCAGGCTGAGATATTATTTATATATTTATAGATTCATTA AAATTGTATGAATAATTTATTGATGTTATTGATAGAGGTATTTTCTTATT AAACAGGCTACTTGGAGTGTATTCTTAATTCTATATTAATTACAATTTGA TTTGACTTGCTCAAA EGEP + Linker Nucleic acid sequence start and stop codons are highlighted and a 12 amino acid linker sequence is denoted in lower case: SEQ. ID. NO.22 gtcgacggtaccgcgggcccgggatccatcgccaccATGGTGAGCAAGGG CGAGGAGCTGTTCACCGGGQTGGTGCCCATCCTGGTCGAGCTGGACGGCG ACGTAAACGGCCACAAGTTCAGCGTGTCCGGCGAGGGCGAGGGCGATGCC ACCTACGGCAAGCTGACCCTGAAGTTCATCTGCACCACCGGCAAGCTGCC CGTGCCCTGGCCCACCCTCGTGACCACCCTGACCTACGGCGTGCAGTGCT TCAGCCGCTACCCCGACCACATGAAGCAGCACGACTTCTTCAAGTCCGCC ATGCCCGAAGGCTACGTCCAGGAGCGCACCATCTTCTTCAAGGACGACGG CAACTACAAGACCCGCGCCGAGGTGAAGTTCGAGGGCGACACCCTGGTGA ACCGCATCGAGCTGAAGGGCATCGACTTCAAGGAGGACGGCAACATCCTG GGGCACAAGCTGGAGTACAACTACAACAGCCACAACGTCTATATCATGGC CGACAAGCAGAAGAACGGCATCAAGGTGAACTTCAAGATCCGCCACAACA TCGAGGACGGCAGCGTGCAGCTCGCCGACCACTACCAGCAGAACACCCCC ATCGGCGACGGCCCCGTGCTGCTGCCCGACAACCACTACCTGAGCACCCA GTCCGCCCTGAGCAAAGACCCCAACGAGAAGCGCGATCACATGGTCCTGC TGGAGTTCGTGACCGCCGCCGGGATCACTCTCGGCATGGACGAGCTGTAC AAGTAAAGCGGCCGC Emerald: SEQ. ID. NO.23 ATGGTGAGCAAGGGCGAGGAGCTGTTCACCGGGGTGGTGCCCATCCTGGT CGAGCTGGACGGCGACGTAAACGGCCACAAGTTCAGCGTGTCCGGCGAGG GCGAGGGCGATGCCACCTACGGCAAGCTGACCCTGAAGTTCATCTGCACC ACCGGCAAGCTGCCCGTGCCCTGGCCCACCCTCGTGACCACCTTGACCTA CGGCGTGCAGTGCTTCGCCCGCTACCCCGACCACATGAAGCAGCACGACT TCTTCAAGTCCGCCATGCCCGAAGGCTACGTCCAGGAGCGCACCATCTTC TTCAAGGACGACGGCAACTACAAGACCCGCGCCGAGGTGAAGTTCGAGGG CGACACCCTGGTGAACCGCATCGAGCTGAAGGGCATCGACTTCAAGGAGG ACGGCAACATCCTGGGGCACAAGCTGGAGTACAACTACAACAGCCACAAG GTCTATATCACCGCCGACAAGCAGAAGAACGGCATCAAGGTGAACTTCAA GACCCGCCACAACATCGAGGACGGCAGCGTGCAGCTCGCCGACCACTACC AGCAGAACACCCCCATCGGCGACGGCCCCGTGCTGCTGCCCGACAACCAC TACCTGAGCACCCAGTCCGCCCTGAGCAAAGACCCCAACGAGAAGCGCGA TCACATGGTCCTGCTGGAGTTCGTGACCGCCGCCGGGATCACTCTCGGCA TGGACGAGCTGTACAAGTAA Topaz: SEQ. ID. NO.24 ATGGTGAGCAAGGGCGAGGAGGAGCTGTTCACCGGGGTGGTGCCCATCCT GGTCGAGCTGGACGGCGACGTAAACGGCCACAAGTTCAGCGTGTCCGGCG AGGGCGAGGGCGATGCCACCTACGGCAAGCTGACCCTGAAGTTCATCTGC ACCACCGGCAAGCTGCCCGTGCCCTGGCCCACCCTCGTGACCACCTTCGG CTACGGCGTGCAGTGCTTCGCCCGCTACCCCGACCACATGCGCCAGCACG ACTTCTTCAAGTCCGCCATGCCCGAAGGCTACGTCCAGGAGCGCACCATC TTCTTCAAGGACGACGGCAACTACAAGACCCGCGCCGAGGTGAAGTTCGA GGGCGACACCCTGGTGAACCGCATCGAGCTGAAGGGCATCGACTTCAAGG AGGACGGCAACATCCTGGGGCACAAGCTGGAGTACAACTACAACAGCCAC AACGTCTATATCATGGCCGACAAGCAGAAGAACGGCATCAAGGTGAACTT CAAGATCCGCCACAACATCGAGGACGGCAGCGTGCAGCTCGCCGACCACT ACCAGCAGAACACCCCCATCGGCGACGGCCCCGTGCTGCTGCCCGACAAC CACTACCTGAGCTACCAGTCCGCCCTGAGCAAAGACCCCAACGAGAAGCG CGATCACATGGTCCTGCTGGAGTTCGTGACCGCCGCCGGGATCACTCTCG GCATGGACGAGCTGTACAAGTAA W1B: SEQ. ID. NO.25 ATGGTGAGCAAGGGCGAGGAGCTGTTTCACCGGGGTGGTGCCCATCCTGG TCGAGCTGGACGGCGACGTAAACGGCCACAGGTTCAGCGTGTCCGGCGAG GGCGAGGGCGATGCCACCTACGGCAAGCTGACCCTGAAGTTCATCTGCAC CACCGGCAAGCTGCCCGTGCCCTGGCCCACCCTCGTGACCACCCTGACCT GGGGCGTGCAGTGCTTCAGCCGCTACCCCGACCACATGAAGCAGCACGAC TTCTTCAAGTCCGCCATGCCCGAAGGCTACGTCCAGGAGCGTACCATCTT CTTCAAGGACGACGGCAACTACAAGACCCGCGCCGAGGTGAAGTTCGAGG GCGACACCCTGGTGAACCGCATCGAGCTGAAGGGCATCGACTTCAAGGAG GACGGCAACATCCTGGGGCACAAGCTGGAGTACAACTACATCAGCCACAA CGTCTATATCACCGCCGACAAGCAGAAGAACGGCATCAAGGCCCACTTCA AGATCCGCCACAACATCGAGGACGGCAGCGTGCAGCTCGCCGACCACTAC CAGCAGAACACCCCCATCGGCGACGGCCCCGTGCTGCTGCCCGACAACCA CTACCTGAGCACCCAGTCCGCCCTGAGCAAAGACCCCAACGAGAAGCGCG ATCACATGGTCCTGCTGGAGTTCGTGACCGCCGCCGGGATCACTCTCGGC ATGGACGAGCTGTACAAGTAA Mouse MCH1R-linker-EGFP: Nucleic acid sequence start codon and start and stop codons for mouse MCH1R and EGFP, respectively, as well as intron borders, are highlighted and a 12 amino acid link- er sequence is denoted in lower case: SEQ. ID. NO.26 ATGGATCTGCAAGCCTCGTTGCTGTCCACTGGCCCCAATGCCAGCAACAT CTCCGATGGCCAGGATAATTTCACATTGGCGGGTGAGTCGAGTTGGAGTC CTCCCTCCTCCGGGATGGGTGTGGAAAATGGGAAGGTTTCACCTCCCAAG CCAAACTGCCTGGGAAACTTTATCTTACAGTTCTTGGTGATAAGATCTGC AGTCGGCTTTGCCTGAAGAGGAAGAGGAGAGGAGGGGACACCAGCTAGGA CAGAAGGGGCAGGGAGGAATAGAGATGGGGCAGAGGCACATTTAGAAACA ACAAGGGTTGGTGACAAGACGTGAGGCAGGCTTGAGGGGAAAGCTTGCTG ATGAGTCCCAAATATGCTTTGCAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAATCAAGGCTG GAGAAGCAAGCAAGCAAGACAGCAAGACAGCGGGCGGGTAGTATGTGGGA GCCAGCAGAAGCGCTTTGATTCACCGCTATCCTGGGCTCAATCCTCTGGC CTCGCACTGGGGAAATGGGGTCTGAGTGGTCCUGCTGTCTTCTGGCAAAG GCTGCTGGGAGCAAAAGACTTCACAGGGCGTGAGAGGATfAACTTTTCTG GTGAATTAAGCTTCTTGACATTTGCAGAACGTCAATGCCTTAAAATTCTA GCTCTGAAGGAGAAGGGAATGAAGGGGAAAGAGGGAAGGTTGGTGTGGAG AAATTCCCAAGCTTCTGGGGTGTAACACAGCTCCAGTCCCTACCCTATTG GGAAAGCCCAGACTCAGGAGACATGGTCCAAGGAAATCCCTGACAGAAAA CCGGGAGAGGGCAGGGCTGTGGAGCCTGAAACACACCCCACACCCATGGT GACAGTCACTTCTCACATATGCCTAGGAACCTATCTGAAACCTTTGGCCA TCTCTCTCTGAAAAGATGAGGCTGCAAATACACACACACACACACACACA CACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACAAATGTCCT TCAAGCCTTTTGACAAGGTTTTCTGGTGGATCCCGGGGATATGAAGTTGT TCTCAGCAGATATCTGGGAGTCTTGACTCCTGGCCCTCTGAGTAAATGGA TGAAGCGAAGAAGAATGGGGTCCTCTGAGTAACAGGTGGATCTAGAAAAT CCTATAGGAGTCACCAGGGCACGGTGGAGGAGGGTAAGGTACAGAACTAA CAATAGCCCGAGAAGGGGAAACAGCAGGAGATGATTCCAGAGACGTAGTG ACCCCAAGCTGCAAGGGAAAGCATGAGGGGCCAGCAGGAAGGCCGACATG GCAGGTTGTCAGCTTCTAGATCGGAAGGCGGGTCACACTTGCTCTTCTAT CCTCAGGGCCACCTCCTCGCACAAGGAGTGTCTCCTACATCAACATCATC ATGCCTTCAGTGTTGGTACCATCTGTCTCCTGGGCATTGTGGGAAACTCC ACAGTCATPTTTGCCGTGGTGAAGAAATCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAGCAA CGTCCCTGACATCTTCATCATCAACCTCTCTGTGGTGGATCTGCTTTCCT GCTGGGCATGCCTTTCATGATCCACCAGCTCATGGGTAATGGTGTCTGGC ACTTTGGGGAAACCATGTGCACCCTCATCACAGCCATGGACGCCAACAGT CAGTTCACCAGCACCTACATCCTGACTGCTATGGCCATTGACCGCTACTT GGCCACCGTCCATCCCATCTCCTCCACCAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCCATGG CCACCCTGGTGATCTGCCTCCTGTGGGCTCTCTCGTTCATTAGCATCACT CCTGTGTGGCTCTATGCCAGGCTTATCCCCTTCCCAGGGGGTGCTGTGGG CTGTGGCATCCGCCTACCAAACCCAGATACTGATCTTACTGGTTCACTCT GTATCAGTTTTTCCTGGCCTTCGCCCTTCCGTTTGTGGTCATCACTGCTG CGTACGTGAAAATACTACAGCGCATGACGTCTTCGGTGGCCCCAGCCTCT CAACGCAGCATCCGGCTTCGGACAAAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGCCATTGC CATCTGTCTGGTCTTCTTTGTGTGCTGGGCGCCCTACTACGTGCTGCAGC TGACCCAGTTGTCCATCAGCCGCCCGACCCTCACATTCGTCTACCTGTAC AATGCGGCCATCAGCTTGGGCTATGCCAACAGCTGCCTCAATCCCTTTGT GTACATAGTACTCTGTGAGACCTTTCGAAAACGCTTGGTGCTGTCGGTGA AGCCCGCGGCCCAOGGGCAGCTTCGCACGGTCAGCAATGCTCAGACAGCT GACGAGGAGAGGACAGAAAGCAAAGGCACCgtcgacggtaccgcgggccc gggatccatcgccaccATGGTGAGCAAGGGCGAGGAGCTGTTCACCGGGG TGGTGCCCATCCTGGTCGAGCTGGACGGCGACGTAAACGGCCACAAGTTC AGCGTGTCCGGCGAGGGCGAGGGCGATGCCACCTACGGCAAGCTGACCCT GAAGYfCATCTGCACCACCGGCAAGCTGCCCGTGCCCTGGCCCACCCTCG TGACCACCCTGACCTACGGCGTGCAGTGCTTCAGCCGCTACCCCGACCAC ATGAAGCAGCACGACTTCTTCAAGTCCGCCATGCCCGAAGGCTACGTCCA GGAGCGCACCATCTTCTTCAAGGACGACGGCAACTACAAGACCCGCGCCG AGGTGAAGTTCGAGGGCGACACCCTGGTGAACCGCATCGAGCTGAAGGGC ATCGACTTCAAGGAGGACGGCAACATCCTGGGGCACAAGCTGGAGTACAA CTACAACAGCCACAACGTCTATATCATGGCCGACAAGCAGAAGAACGGCA TCAAGGTGAACTTCAAGATCCGCCACAACATCGAGGACGGCAGCGTGCAG CTCGCCGACCACTACCAGCAGAACACCCCCATCGGCGACGGCCCCGTGCT GCTGCCCGACAACCACTACCTGAGCACCCAGTCCGCCCTGAGCAAAGACC CCAACGAGAAGCGCGATCACATGGTCCTGCTGGAGTTCGTGACCGCCGCC GGGATCACTCTCGGCATGGACGAGCTGTACAAGTAA Mouse MCH1R/EGFP direct fusion: Nucleic acid se- quence start codon and start and stop codons for mouse MCH1R and EGFP, respectively, as well as in- tron borders, are highlighted: SEQ. ID. NO.27 ATGGATCTGCAAGCCTCGTTGCTGTCCACTGCCCCAATGCCAGCAACATC TCCGATGGCCAGGATAATTTCACATTGGCGGGTGAGTCGAGTTGGAGTCC TCCCTCCTCCGGGATGGGTGTGGAAAATGGGAAGGTTTCACCTCCCAAGC CAAACTGCCTGGGAAACTTTATCTTACAGTTCTTGGTGATAAGATCTGCA GTCGGCTTTGCCTGAAGAGGAAGAGGAGAGGAGGGGACACCAGCTAGGAC AGAAGGGGCAGGGAGGAATAGAGATGGGGCAGAGGCACATTTAGAAACAA CAAGGGTTGGTGACAAGACGTGAGGCAGGCTTGAGGGGAAAGCTTGCTGA TGAGTCCCAAATATGCTTTGCAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAATCAAGGCTGG AGAAGCAAGCAAGCAAGACAGCAAGACAGCGGGCGGGTAGTATGTGGGAG CCAGCAGAAGCGCTTTGATTCACCGCTATCCTGGGCTCAATCCTCTGGCC TCGCACTGGGGAAATGGGGTCTGAGTGGTCCTTGCTGTCTTCTGGCAAAG GCTGCTGGGAGCAAAAGACTTCACAGGGCGTGAGAGGATTAACTTTTCTG GTGAATTAAGCTTCTTGACATTTGCAGAACGTCAATGCCTTAAAATTCTA GCTCTGAAGGAGAAGGGAATGAAGGGGAAAGAGGGAAGGTTGGTGTGGAG AAATTCCCAAGCTTCTGGGGTGTAACACAGCTCCAGTCCCTACCCTATTG GGAAAGCCCAGACTCAGGAGACATGGTCCAAGGAAATCCCTGACAGAAAA CCGGGAGAGGGCAGGGCTGTGGAGCCTGAAACACACCCCACACCCATGGT GACAGTCACTTCTCACATATGCCTAGGAACCTATCTGAAACCTTTGGCCA TCTCTCTCTGAAAAGATGAGGCTGCAAATACACACACACACACACACACA CACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACACAAATGTCCT TCAAGCGTTTTTGACAAGGTTTTCTGGTGGATCCCGGGGATATGAAGTTG TTCTCAGCAGATATCTGGGAGTCTTGACTCCTGGCCCTCTGAGTAAATGG ATGAAGCGAAGAAGAATGGGGTCCTCTGAGTAACAGGTGGATCTAGAAAA TCCTATAGGAGTCACCAGGGCACGGTGGAGGAGGGTAAGGTACAGAACTA ACAATAGCCCGAGAAGGGGAAACAGCAGGAGATGATTCCAGAGACGTAGT GACCCCAAGCTGCAAGGGAAAGCATGAGGGGCCAGCAGGAAGGCCGACAT GGCAGGTTGTCAGCTTCTAGATCGGAAGGCGGGTCACACTTGCTCTTTCT ATCCTCAGGGCCACCTCCTCGCACAAGGAGTGTCTCCTACATCAACATCA TCATGCCTTUCAGTGTTGGTACCATCTGTCTCCTGGGCATTGTGGGAAAC TCCACAGTCATLTPTGCCGTGGTGAAGAAATCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAG CAACGTCCCTGACATCTTCATCATCAACCTCTCTGTGGTGGATCTGCTTT CCTGCTGGGCATGCCTTTCATGATCCACCAGCTCATGGGTAATGGTGTCT GGCACTTTGGGGAAACCATGTGCACCCTCATCACAGCCATGGACGCCAAC AGTCAGTTCACCAGCACCTACATCCTGACTGCTATGGCCATTGACCGCTA CTTGGCCACCGTCCATCCCATCTCCTCCACCAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCCA TGGCCACCCTGGTGATCTGCCTCCTGTGGGCTCTCTCGTTCATTAGCATC ACTCCTGTGTGGCTCTATGCCAGGCTTATCCCCTTCCCAGGGGGTGCTGT GGGCTGTGGCATCCGCCTACCAAACCCAGATACTGATCTTACTGGTTCAC TCTGTATCAGTTTTTCCTGGCCTTCGCCCTTCCGTTTGTGGTCATCACTG CTGCGTACGTGAAAATACTACAGCGCATGACGTCTTCGGTGGCCCCAGCC TCTCAACGCAGCATCCGGCTTCGGACAAAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGCCAT TGCCATCTGTCTGGTCTTCTLTGTGTGCTGGGCGCCCTACTACGTGCTGC AGCTGACCCAGTTGTCCATCAGCCGCCCGACCCTCACATTCGTCTACCTG TACAATGCGGCCATCAGCTTGGGCTATGCCAACAGCTGCCTCAATCCCTT TGTGTACATAGTACTCTGTGAGACCTTCGAAAACGCTTGGTGCTGTCGGT GAAGCCCGCGGCCCAGGGGCAGCTTCGCACGGTCAGCAATGCTCAGACAG CTGACGAGGAGAGGACAGAAAGCAAAGGCACCATGGTGAGCAAGGGCGAG GAGCTGTTCACCGGGGTGGTGCCCATCCTGGTCGAGCTGGACGGCGACGT AAACGGCCACAAGTTCAGCGTGTCCGGCGAGGGCGAGGGCGATGCCACCT ACGGCAAGCTGACCCTGAAGTTCATCTGCACCACCGGCAAGCTGCCCGTG CCCTGGCCCACCCTCGTGACCACCCTGACCTACGGCGTGCAGTGCTTCAG CCGCTACCCCGACCACATGAAGCAGCACGACTTCTTCAAGTCCGCCATGC CCGAAGGCTACGTCCAGGAGCGCACCATCTTCTTCAAGGACGACGGAACT ACAAGACCCGCGCCGAGGTGAAGTTCGAGGGCGACACCCTGGTGAACCGC ATCGAGCTGAAGGGCATCGACTTCAAGGAGGACGGCAACATCCTGGGGCA CAAGCTGGAGTACAACTACAACAGCCACAACGTCTATATCATGGCCGACA AGCAGAAGAACGGCATCAAGGTGAACTTCAAGATCCGCCACAACATCGAG GACGGCAGCGTGCAGCTCGCCGACCACTACCAGCAGAACACCCCCATCGG CGACGGCCCCGTGCTGCTGCCCGACAACCACTACCTGAGCACCCAGTCCG CCCTGAGCAAAGACCCCAACGAGAAGCGCGATCACATGGTCCTGCTGGAG TTCGTGACCGCCGCCGGGATCACTCTCGGCATGGACGAGCTGTACAAGTA A Human short form/mouse species chinieric MCH1R- linker-EGFP: Nucleic acid sequence start codon and start and stop codons for mouse MCH1R and BGTP, respectively, are highlighted and a 12 amino acid linker sequence is denoted in lower case: SEQ. ID. NO.28 ATGGACCTGGAAGCCTCGCTGCTGCCCACTGGTCCCAATGCCAGCAACAC CTCTGATGGCCCCGATAACCTCACTTCGGCAGGATCACCTCCTCGCACGG GGAGCATCTCCTACATCAACATCATCATGCCTTCGGTGTTCGGCACCATC TGCCTCCTGGGCATCATCGGGAACTCCACGGTCATCTTCGCGGTCGTGAA GAAGTCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAACAACGTCCCCGACATCTTCATCATCA ACCTCTCGGTAGTAGATCTCCTCTPTCTCCTGGGCATGCCCTTCATGATC CACCAGCTCATGGGCAATGGGGTGTGGCACTTGGGGAGACCATGTGCACC CTCATCACGGCCATGGATGCCAATAGTCAGTTTCACCAGCACCTACATCC TGACCGCCATGGCCATTGACCGCTACCTGGCCACTGTCCACCCCATCTCT TCCACGAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCCATGGCCACCCTGGTGATCTGCCTCCT GTGGGCTCTCTCGTTCATTAGCATCACTCCTGTGTGGCTCTATGCCAGGC TTATCCCCTPCCCAGGGGGTGCTGTGGGCTGTGGCATCCGCCTACCAAAC CCAGATACTGATCTTTACTGG1TTCACTCTGTATCAGTTTTTCCTGGCCT TCGCCCTTCCGTTTGTGGTCATCACTGCTGCGTACGTGAAAATACTACAG CGCATGACGTCTTCGGTGGCCCCAGCCTCTCAACGCAGCATCCGGCTTCG GACAAAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGCCATTGCCATCTGTCTGGTCTTCTTTG TGTGCTGGGCGCCCTACTACGTGCTGCAGCTGACCCAGTTGTCCATCAGC CGCCCGACCCTCACATTCGTCTACCTGTACAATGCGGCCATCAGCTTGGG CTATGCCAACAGCTGCCTCAATCCCTffGTGTACATAGTACTCTGTGAGA CCTTTCGAAAACGCTTGGTGCTGTCGGTGAAGCCCGCGGCCCAGGGGCAG CTTCGCACGGTCAGCAATGCTCAGACAGCTGACGAGGAGAGGACAGAAAG CAAAGGCACCgtcgacggtaccgcgggcccgggatccatcgccaccATGG TGAGCAAGGGCGAGGAGCTGTTCACTGGGGTGGTGCCCATCCTGGTCGAG CTGGACGGCGACGTAAACGGCCACAAGTTCAGCGTGTCCGGCGAGGGCGA GGGCGATGCCACCTACGGCAAGCTGACCCTGAAGTTCATCTGCACCACCG GCAAGCTGCcCGTGCCCTGGCCCACCCTCGTGACCACCCTGACCTACGGC GTGCAGTGCTTCAGCCGCTACCCCGACCACATGAAGCAGCACGACTTCTT CAAGTCCGCCATGCCCGAAGGCTACGTCCAGGAGCGCACCATCTTCTTCA AGGACGACGGCAACTACAAGACCCGCGCCGAGGTGAAGTTCGAGGGCGAC ACCCTGGTGAACCGCATCGAGCTGAAGGGCATCGACTTCAAGGAGGACGG CAACATCCTGGGGCACAAGCTGGAQTACAACTACAACAGCCACAACGTCT ATATCATGGCCGACAAGCAGAAGAACGGCATCAAGGTGAACTTCAAGATC CGCCACAACATCGAGGACGGCAGCGTGCAGCTCGCCGACCACTACCAGCA GAACACCCCCATCGGCGACGGCCCCGTGCTGCTGCCCGACAACCACTACC TGAGCACCCAGTCCGCCCTGAGCAAAGACCCCAACGAGAAGCGCGATCAC ATGGTCCTGCTGGAGTTCGTGACCGCCGCCGGGATCACTCTCGGCATGGA CGAGCTGTACAAGTAA Human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-link- er-EGFP: Nucleic acid sequence start codon and start and stop codons for mouse MCH1R and EGFP, respectively, are highlighted and a 12 amino acid linker sequence is denoted in lower case: SEQ. ID. NO.29 ATGTCAGTGGGAGCCATGAAGAAGGGAGTGGGGAGGGCAGTTGGGCTTGG AGGCGGCAGCGGCTGCCAGGCTACGGAGGAAGACCCCCTTCCCAACTGCG GGGCTTGCGCTCCGGGACAAGGTGGCAGGCGCTGGAGGCTGCCGCAGCCT GCGTGGGTGGAGGGGAGCTCAGCTCGGTTGTGGGAGCAGGCGACCGGCAC TGGCTGGATGGACCTGGAAGCCTCGCTGCTGCCCACTGGTCCCAACGCCA GCAACACCTCTGATGGCCCCGATAACCTCACTTCGGCAGGATCACCTCCT CGCACGGGGAGCATCTCCTACATCAACATCATCATGCCTTCGGTGTTCGG CACCATCTGCCTCCTGGGCATCATCGGGAACTCCACGGTCATCTTCGCGG TCGTGAAGAAGTCCAAGCTGCACTGGTGCAACAACGTCCCCGACATCTTC ATCATCAACCTCTCGGTAGTAGATCTCCTCTTTCTCCTGGGCATGCCCTT CATGATCCACCAGCTCATGGGCAATGGGGTGTGGCACTTTGGGGAGACCA TGTGCACCCTCATCACGGCCATGGATGCCAATAGTCAGTTCACCAGCACC TACATCCTGACCGCCATGGCCATTGACCGCTACCTGGCCACTGTCCACCC CATCTCTTCCACGAAGTTCCGGAAGCCCTCCATGGCCACCCTGGTGATCT GCCTCCTGTGGGCTCTCTCGTTCATTAGCATCACTCCTGTGTGGCTCTAT GCCAGGCTTATCCCCTTCCCAGGGGGTGCTGTGGGCTGTGGCATCCGCCT ACCAAACCCAGATACTGATCTTACTGGTTCACTCTGTATCAGTTTTTCCT GGCCTTCGCCCTTCCGTTTGTGGTCATCACTGCTGCGTACGTGAAAATAC TACAGCGCATGACGTCTTCGGTGGCCCCAGCCTCTCAACGCAGCATCCGG CTTCGGACAAAGAGGGTGACCCGCACAGCCATTGCCATCTGTCTGGTCTT CTTTGTGTGCTGGGCGCCCTACTACGTGCTGCAGCTGACCCAGTTGTCCA TCAGCCGCCCGACCCTCACATTCGTCTACCTGTACAATGCGGCCATCAGC TTGGGCTATGCCAACAGCTGCCTCAATCCCTTGTGTACATAGTACTCTGT GAGACCTTCGAAAACGCTTGGTGCTGTCGGTGAAGCCCGCGGCCCAGGGG CAGTTCGCACGGTCAGCAATGCTCAGACAGCTGACGAGGAGAGGACAGAA AGCAAAGGCACCgtcgacggtaccgcgggcccgggatccatcgccaccAT GGTGAGCAAGGGCGAGGAGCTGTTCACCGGGGTGGTGCCCATCCTGGTCG AGCTGGACGGCGACGTAAACGGCCACAAGTTCAGCGTGTCCGGCGAGGGC GAGGGCGATGCCACCTACGGCAAGCTGACCCTGAAGTTCATCTGCACCAC CGGCAAGCTGCCCGTGCCCTGGCCCACCCTCGTGACCACCCTGACCTACG GCGTGCAGTGCTTCAGCCGCTACCCCGACCACATGAAGCAGCACGACTTC TTCAAGTCCGCCATGCCCGAAGGCTACGTCCAGGAGCGCACCATCTTCTT CAAGGACGACGGCAACTACAAGACCCGCGCCGAGGTGAAGTTCGAGGGCG ACACCCTGGTGAACCGCATCGAGCTGAAGGGCATCGACTTCAAGGAGGAC GGCAACATCCTGGGGCACAAGCTGGAGTACAACTACAACAGCCACAACGT CTATATCATGGCCGACAAGCAGAAGAACGGCATCAAGGTGAACTTCAAGA TCCGCCACAACATCGAGGACGCAGCGTGCAGCTCGCCGACCACTACCAGC AGAACACCCCCATCGGCGACGGCCCCGTGCTGCTGCCCGACAACCACTAC CTGAGCACCCAGTCCGCCCTGAGCAAAGACCCCAACGAGAAGCGCGATCA CATGGTCCTGCTGGAGTTCGTGACCGCCGCCGGGATCACTCTCGGCATGG ACGAGCTGTACAAGTAA

Example 2 Generation of Chimeric and Fusion Proteins

[0095] DNA vectors encoding fusion proteins between a MCH-R receptor (MCH1R) and several different superbright variants of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) were generated. GFP variants were fused either via a 12 amino acid linker: TCGACGGTACCGCGGGCCCGGGATCCATCGCCACC (SEQ. ID. NO. 30), amino acid sequence: VDGTAGPGSIAT (SEQ. ID. NO. 31) (linker fusions) or directly to the C-terminus of MCH1R (direct fusions).

Mouse MCH1R-linker-GFP Variant Fusion Constructs

[0096] Initially, mouse MCH1R was fused in frame via the linker to Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP). MCH1R was PCR-amplified (95° C. for 5 minutes; 95° C. for 30 seconds, 60° C. for 45 seconds, 68° C. for 3.5 minutes, for 15 cycles; 68° C. for 7 minutes) from a full-length mouse MCH1R genomic DNA lambda clone utilizing a high fidelity polymerase mix (Expand High Fidelity PCR System from Boehringer Mannheim) and PCR primers [MCH1R (Eco RI) 5′: GCGAATTCACCATGGATCTGCAAGCCTCG (SEQ. ID. NO. 32), MCH1R (Sal I) 3′: GCGTCGACGGTGCCTTTGCTTTCTGTCC (SEQ. ID. NO. 33)] that generated Eco RI and Sal I enzymatic restriction sites at the N- and C-terminus, respectively. The MCH1R N-terminal PCR primer was also designed to introduce a Kozak consensus sequence for translation which contained an Nco I site (5′-ACCATGG-3′), and the MCH1R C-terminal PCR primer was also designed to eliminate the endogenous stop codon present in the mouse MCH1R gene. The resulting PCR product was phenol/chloroform extracted, restriction digested with Eco RI and Sal I, gel purified, and subcloned in frame into the multicloning site of Clontech's pEGFP-N3 vector between Eco RI and Sal I sites. Several resulting clones for this construct were sequenced to identify a clone with an entirely correct nucleotide sequence. This clone was named mMCH1R-1-EGFP for mouse MCH1R-linker-EGFP.

[0097] An approximately 760 bp Sal I to Not I fragment of mMCH1R-1-EGFP was excised, gel purified, and subcloned into the multicloning site of pBluescript (SK+) (Stratagene) between Sal1 and Not I sites. An approximately 710 bp Nco I to Bsr G1 fragment of EGFP was excised from the resulting pBluescript-EGFP vector and replaced with the corresponding Nco I to Bsr G1 fragment of either Emerald, Topaz, or W1B (other superbright GFP variants), which were excised from vectors pRSET-Emerald, pRSET-Topaz, and pRSET-W1B, respectively. pRSET-Emerald, pRSET-Topaz, and pRSET-W1B were obtained from Aurora Biosciences Co. Sal I to Not I fragments containing either Emerald, Topaz, or W1B were excised from the resulting pBluescript-Emerald, pBluescript-Topaz, and pBluescript-W1B vectors, respectively. Appropriate fragments were gel purified and subcloned into mMCH1R-1-EGFP digested with Sal I and Not I, replacing the Sal I to Not I EGFP fragment with the corresponding Sal I to Not I fragment from either Emerald, Topaz, or W1B. Several clones for each construct were sequenced to confirm the presence of the appropriate GFP variant. The resulting vectors were named mMCH1R-1-Emerald, mMCH1R-1-Topaz, and mMCH1R-1-W1B for mouse MCH1R-linker-Emerald, mouse MCH1R-linker-Topaz, and mouse MCH1R-linker-W1B, respectively.

Mouse MCH1R/GFP Variant Direct Fusion Constructs

[0098] A two step PCR strategy was employed to generate the direct fusion constructs. First, mouse MCH1R, EGFP, and Emerald were PCR-amplified from a full-length mouse MCH1R genomic DNA lambda clone, Clontech's pEGFP-N3 vector, and Aurora's pRSET-Emerald vector, respectively. Mouse MCH1R was PCR-amplified according to the previously mentioned conditions utilizing the same N-terminal PCR primer [MCH1R (Eco RI) 5′: GCGAATTCACCATGGATCTGCA AGCCTCG (SEQ. ID. NO. 32)], but in this case a different C-terminal PCR primer was employed. The C-terminal PCR primer [MCH1R (EGFP/Emerald) 3′: CCTTGCTCACCATGGTGCCTTTGCTTTCTGTCC (SEQ. ID. NO. 34)] eliminated the endogenous stop codon of mouse MCH1R as before and introduced a region of nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of the N-terminus of EGFP.

[0099] EGFP and Emerald were PCR-amplified (95° C. for 5 minutes; 95° C. for 30 seconds, 60° C. for 45 seconds, 68° C. for 1.5 minutes, for 15 cycles; 68° C. for 7 minutes) separately with a high fidelity polymerase mix (Advantage HF-2 from Clontech) from their respective templates utilizing a common N-terminal PCR primer [EGFP/Emerald (MCH1R) 5′: CAGAAAGCAAAGGCACCATGGTGAGCAA GGGCGAGGAGC (SEQ. ID. NO. 35)] that generated a region of nucleotide sequence complementary to the C-terminus of mouse MCH1R and C-terminal PCR primers [EGFP 3′: GGCGGATCCTCTAGAGTCGCGGCC (SEQ. ID. NO. 36), or Emerald (EGFP) 3′: GCTCTAGAGTCGCGGCCGCTTACTTGTACAGCTCGTCC (SEQ. ID. NO. 37)] that generated a Not I site at the C-terminus. The resulting PCR products were electrophoresed on an agarose gel and the appropriate fragments were gel purified.

[0100] In a second PCR step, PCR reactions were set up between the previously generated mouse MCH1R and EGFP, or mouse MCH1R and Emerald PCR products. Following an initial 5 minute denaturation step at 95° C., two rounds of thermocycling (95° C. for 30 seconds, 60° C. for 45 seconds, 68° C. for 4 minutes) were performed in the absence of PCR primers. This allowed the mouse MCH1R and GFP variants to anneal at their complementary regions and to be filled in by the high fidelity polymerase mix Expand High Fidelity PCR System from Boehringer Mannheim), yielding double stranded template DNA.

[0101] Subsequently, the common N-terminal mouse MCH1R [MCH1R (Eco RI) 5′: GCGAATTCACCATGGATCTGCAAGCCTCG (SEQ. ID. NO. 32)] and appropriate C-terminal PCR primers [EGFP 3′: GGCGGATCCTCTAGAGTC GCGGCC (SEQ. ID. NO. 36) or Emerald (EGFP) 3′: GCTCTAGAGTCGCGG CCGCTTACTTGTACAGCTCGTCC (SEQ. ID. NO. 37)] were added to the reactions and thermocycling was continued for an additional fifteen cycles followed by a final extension at 68° C. for 7 minutes. The resulting PCR products were phenol/chloroform extracted, restriction digested with Eco RI and Not I, electrophoresed on an agarose gel, and appropriate fragments were gel purified.

[0102] These Eco RI to Not I fragments represent direct fusions between either mouse MCH1R and EGFP, or mouse MCH1R and Emerald. Clontech's pEGFP-N3 vector was restriction digested with Eco RI and Not I liberating an approximately 780 bp Eco RI to Not I EGFP fragment. This restriction digest was electrophoresed on an agarose gel and the approximately 3.9 Kb pEGFP-N3 vector backbone was gel purified. Eco RI to Not I mouse MCH1R/EGFP or mouse MCH1R/Emerald direct fusion fragments were subcloned into the pEGFP-N3 vector backbone between Eco RI and Not I sites. Several resulting clones for each of these two constructs were sequenced to identify clones with correct nucleotide sequence; however, no clones with entirely correct nucleotide sequences were identified. Fortunately, several clones for each of the two constructs only had nucleotide mismatches in the intron region of mouse MCH1R, and therefore, were not expected to effect the functionality of the resulting fusion proteins. These clones were named mMCH1R/EGFP and mMCH1R/Emerald for mouse MCH1R/EGFP direct fusion and mouse MCH1R/Emerald direct fusion, respectively.

Human Short and Long Form/Mouse Species Chimeric MCH1R-linker-GFP Variant Fusion Constructs

[0103] The initial mouse MCH1R-linker-GFP variant fusion constructs were modified to generate both human short form and human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-linker-GFP variant fusion constructs. An approximately 1.7 kb Hind III to Bsp EI fragment of the mouse MCH1R gene containing exon 1, the intron, and 127 amino acids of exon 2 was excised from the various mouse MCH1R-linker-GFP variant fusion constructs and replaced by either an approximately 470 bp Hind III to Bsp EI fragment from the wild-type human MCH1R short form or an approximately 670 bp Hind III to Bsp EI fragment from the wild-type human MCH1R long form.

[0104] Several clones for each construct were sequenced to confirm the presence of the N-terminal region of either the human MCH1R short or long forms. These clones were named hshort/mMCH1R-1-GFP variant or hlong/mMCH1R-1-GFP variant for human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-linker-GFP variant and human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-linker-GFP variant, respectively.

Example 3 Functional Evaluation of MCH1R/GFP Variant Fusion Proteins

[0105] Both HEK293 Aequorin (National Institutes of Health) and CHO mammalian cell lines were transiently transfected with the various MCH1R/GFP variant fusion constructs, as well as the appropriate control constructs. Transfection was performed using Lipofectamine 2000 (Gibco BRL) per the manufacturer recommended protocol. Approximately 48 hours after transfection cells were harvested, stimulated with various concentrations of human MCH, and assayed for either aequorin bioluminescence (HEK293 Aequorin cells) or cAMP production (CHO cells). Aequorin bioluminescence is a representative measure of intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization. cAMP production was measured with the Adenylyl Cyclase Activation FlashPlate Assay (NEN Life Science Products, Inc.).

[0106] Following transient transfection of the mMCH1R-linker-EGFP construct (MCH-R-1-EGFP) into HEK293 Aequorin cells, the resulting fusion protein exhibited functional activity comparable to that of the wild-type human MCH1R short form (MCH-R wt). By this functional assay, the EC₅₀ value for mMCH1R-1-EGFP was nearly identical to that of the wild-type human short form receptor (FIG. 1).

[0107] Following transient transfections of the mMCH1R-1-EGFP and mMCH1R/EGFP fusion constructs into CHO cells, the resulting fusion proteins exhibited functional activity comparable to that of the wild-type human MCH1R short form. By this functional assay, the EC₅₀ values for mMCH1R-1-EGFP and mMCH1R/EGFP were comparable to that of the wild-type human receptor (Table 1). Transient transfections with the corresponding Emerald constructs yielded similar results (data not shown). TABLE 1 Receptor EC₅₀ (nM) Wild-type Human MCH1R Short Form 2.166 Mouse MCH1R/EGFP 0.819 Mouse MCH1R-1-EGFP 3.199

[0108] Following transient transfections of the human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-1-EGFP (HuShort/mMCH1R-1-EGFP) and human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-1-EGFP (HuLong/mMCH1R-1-EGFP) constructs into HEK293 cells, the resulting fusion proteins exhibited functional activity comparable to that of the wild-type human MHC1R short and long forms, respectively. By this functional assay, the EC₅₀ value for each fusion proteins was nearly identical to that of the corresponding wild-type human receptor (Table 2). TABLE 2 Receptor EC₅₀ (nM) Wild-type Human MCH1R Short Form 22.27 HuShort/mMCH1R-1-EGFP 19.54 Wild-type Human MCH1R Long Form 196.7 HuLong/mMCH1R-1-EGFP Form 217.5

[0109] Following transient transfections of the human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-1-EGFP (HuShort/mMCH1R-1-EGFP) and human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-1-EGFP (HuLong/mMCH1R-1-EGFP) constructs into CHO cells, the resulting fusion proteins exhibited functional activity comparable to or less than that of the wild-type human MHC1R short and long forms, respectively (Table 3). By this functional assay, the EC₅₀ value for the human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-1-EGFP fusion protein was comparable to that of the corresponding wild-type human receptor, whereas, the human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-1-EGFP fusion protein had an EC₅₀ value approximately 7.5-fold higher than that of its corresponding wild-type control. TABLE 3 Receptor EC₅₀ (nM) Wild-type Human MCH1R Short Form 1.029 Wild-type Human MCH1R Long Form 1.515 HuShort/mMCH1R-1-EFGP 1.565 HuLong/mMCH1R-1-EGFP 11.580

[0110] Transient expression of all the MCH1R/GFP variant fusion proteins that underwent functional evaluation resulted in fluorescence primarily associated with the plasma membrane in both HEK293 and CHO cells (data not shown). This pattern of fluorescence is consistent with a predominant membrane associated localization.

Example 4 Generation of Stable Cell Lines

[0111] Wild-type CHO cells were transfected using SuperFect (Qiag.en) and either mouse MCH-1R-EGFP or human short/mouse species chimeric MCH-1R-EGFP. Forty-eight hours after transfection, transfected cells were subjected to positive selection for approximately ten days in media containing G418. Following selection, MCH-1R-EGFP expressing CHO cells were bulk sorted by Fluorescence Assisted Cell Sorting (FACS) for one or two rounds on the basis of fluorescence intensity to increase the population of cells expressing EGFP. Following bulk sorts, individual clones of varying fluorescence intensities were isolated by FACS and expanded.

[0112] Fluorometric Microvolume Assay Technology (FMAT) was initially employed to screen a large number of stable clones by whole cell binding with a fluorescently labeled MCH derivative (SymJz-MCH, PE Biosystems) to identify those clones with good specific binding windows. Several clones exhibiting specific binding windows greater than 3-fold were further evaluated for MCH binding with the SPA-based Binding Assay. Cells from individual clones were dissociated in enzyme free dissociation media and cell membranes were prepared and subsequently tested for their ability to bind [¹²⁵I]Phe¹³Tyr¹⁹-MCH in the presence of human MCH. CHO cell lines expressing either mouse MCH-1R-EGFP or human short/mouse species chimeric MCH-1R-EGFP (FIG. 4) displayed IC50 values with MCH that were indistinguishable from the corresponding IC50 values obtained with a CHO cell line expressing the wild-type human short isoform of MCH-1R.

[0113] The functional activity of these clones was evaluated with the cAMP Flashplate Assay (FIGS. 2 and 3). CHO cell lines expressing either mouse MCH-1R-EGFP (FIG. 2) or human short/mouse species chimeric MCH-1R-EGFP (FIG. 3) displayed EC50 values with human MCH that were indistinguishable from the EC50 value obtained with a CHO cell line expressing the wild-type human short isoform of MCH-1R.

[0114] The subcellular localization of the MCH-1R-EGFP fusion proteins were determined by confocal microscopy utilizing EGFP fluorescence as a marker for MCH-1R expression. CHO cell lines stably expressing either mouse MCH-1R-EGFP or human short/mouse species chimeric MCH-1R-EGFP displayed EGFP fluorescence primarily associated with the plasma membrane, demonstrating that these MCH-1R-EGFP fusion proteins are primarily associated with the plasma membrane.

[0115] Other embodiments are within the following claims. While several embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1 37 1 422 PRT Human 1 Met Ser Val Gly Ala Met Lys Lys Gly Val Gly Arg Ala Val Gly Leu 1 5 10 15 Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Cys Gln Ala Thr Glu Glu Asp Pro Leu Pro Asn 20 25 30 Cys Gly Ala Cys Ala Pro Gly Gln Gly Gly Arg Arg Trp Arg Leu Pro 35 40 45 Gln Pro Ala Trp Val Glu Gly Ser Ser Ala Arg Leu Trp Glu Gln Ala 50 55 60 Thr Gly Thr Gly Trp Met Asp Leu Glu Ala Ser Leu Leu Pro Thr Gly 65 70 75 80 Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn Thr Ser Asp Gly Pro Asp Asn Leu Thr Ser Ala 85 90 95 Gly Ser Pro Pro Arg Thr Gly Ser Ile Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met 100 105 110 Pro Ser Val Phe Gly Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Ile Gly Asn Ser 115 120 125 Thr Val Ile Phe Ala Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Asn 130 135 140 Asn Val Pro Asp Ile Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu 145 150 155 160 Phe Leu Leu Gly Met Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly 165 170 175 Val Trp His Phe Gly Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp 180 185 190 Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile 195 200 205 Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg 210 215 220 Lys Pro Ser Val Ala Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser 225 230 235 240 Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe 245 250 255 Pro Gly Gly Ala Val Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr 260 265 270 Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu 275 280 285 Pro Phe Val Val Ile Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Arg Ile Leu Gln Arg Met 290 295 300 Thr Ser Ser Val Ala Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr 305 310 315 320 Lys Arg Val Thr Arg Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val 325 330 335 Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser 340 345 350 Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu 355 360 365 Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys 370 375 380 Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln 385 390 395 400 Gly Gln Leu Arg Ala Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg 405 410 415 Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly Thr 420 2 353 PRT Human 2 Met Asp Leu Glu Ala Ser Leu Leu Pro Thr Gly Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn 1 5 10 15 Thr Ser Asp Gly Pro Asp Asn Leu Thr Ser Ala Gly Ser Pro Pro Arg 20 25 30 Thr Gly Ser Ile Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met Pro Ser Val Phe Gly 35 40 45 Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Ile Gly Asn Ser Thr Val Ile Phe Ala 50 55 60 Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Asn Asn Val Pro Asp Ile 65 70 75 80 Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu Phe Leu Leu Gly Met 85 90 95 Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly Val Trp His Phe Gly 100 105 110 Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe 115 120 125 Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala 130 135 140 Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg Lys Pro Ser Val Ala 145 150 155 160 Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr 165 170 175 Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe Pro Gly Gly Ala Val 180 185 190 Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe 195 200 205 Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu Pro Phe Val Val Ile 210 215 220 Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Arg Ile Leu Gln Arg Met Thr Ser Ser Val Ala 225 230 235 240 Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr Lys Arg Val Thr Arg 245 250 255 Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr 260 265 270 Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr 275 280 285 Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser 290 295 300 Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys 305 310 315 320 Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln Gly Gln Leu Arg Ala 325 330 335 Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly 340 345 350 Thr 3 353 PRT Mouse 3 Met Asp Leu Gln Ala Ser Leu Leu Ser Thr Gly Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn 1 5 10 15 Ile Ser Asp Gly Gln Asp Asn Phe Thr Leu Ala Gly Pro Pro Pro Arg 20 25 30 Thr Arg Ser Val Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met Pro Ser Val Phe Gly 35 40 45 Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Val Gly Asn Ser Thr Val Ile Phe Ala 50 55 60 Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Ser Asn Val Pro Asp Ile 65 70 75 80 Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu Phe Leu Leu Gly Met 85 90 95 Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly Val Trp His Phe Gly 100 105 110 Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe 115 120 125 Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala 130 135 140 Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg Lys Pro Ser Met Ala 145 150 155 160 Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr 165 170 175 Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe Pro Gly Gly Ala Val 180 185 190 Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe 195 200 205 Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu Pro Phe Val Val Ile 210 215 220 Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Lys Ile Leu Gln Arg Met Thr Ser Ser Val Ala 225 230 235 240 Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr Lys Arg Val Thr Arg 245 250 255 Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr 260 265 270 Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr 275 280 285 Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser 290 295 300 Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys 305 310 315 320 Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln Gly Gln Leu Arg Thr 325 330 335 Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly 340 345 350 Thr 4 353 PRT Artificial Sequence Human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R 4 Met Asp Leu Glu Ala Ser Leu Leu Pro Thr Gly Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn 1 5 10 15 Thr Ser Asp Gly Pro Asp Asn Leu Thr Ser Ala Gly Ser Pro Pro Arg 20 25 30 Thr Gly Ser Ile Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met Pro Ser Val Phe Gly 35 40 45 Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Ile Gly Asn Ser Thr Val Ile Phe Ala 50 55 60 Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Asn Asn Val Pro Asp Ile 65 70 75 80 Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu Phe Leu Leu Gly Met 85 90 95 Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly Val Trp His Phe Gly 100 105 110 Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe 115 120 125 Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala 130 135 140 Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg Lys Pro Ser Met Ala 145 150 155 160 Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr 165 170 175 Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe Pro Gly Gly Ala Val 180 185 190 Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe 195 200 205 Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu Pro Phe Val Val Ile 210 215 220 Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Lys Ile Leu Gln Arg Met Thr Ser Ser Val Ala 225 230 235 240 Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr Lys Arg Val Thr Arg 245 250 255 Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr 260 265 270 Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr 275 280 285 Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser 290 295 300 Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys 305 310 315 320 Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln Gly Gln Leu Arg Thr 325 330 335 Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly 340 345 350 Thr 5 422 PRT Artificial Sequence Human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R 5 Met Ser Val Gly Ala Met Lys Lys Gly Val Gly Arg Ala Val Gly Leu 1 5 10 15 Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Cys Gln Ala Thr Glu Glu Asp Pro Leu Pro Asn 20 25 30 Cys Gly Ala Cys Ala Pro Gly Gln Gly Gly Arg Arg Trp Arg Leu Pro 35 40 45 Gln Pro Ala Trp Val Glu Gly Ser Ser Ala Arg Leu Trp Glu Gln Ala 50 55 60 Thr Gly Thr Gly Trp Met Asp Leu Glu Ala Ser Leu Leu Pro Thr Gly 65 70 75 80 Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn Thr Ser Asp Gly Pro Asp Asn Leu Thr Ser Ala 85 90 95 Gly Ser Pro Pro Arg Thr Gly Ser Ile Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met 100 105 110 Pro Ser Val Phe Gly Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Ile Gly Asn Ser 115 120 125 Thr Val Ile Phe Ala Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Asn 130 135 140 Asn Val Pro Asp Ile Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu 145 150 155 160 Phe Leu Leu Gly Met Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly 165 170 175 Val Trp His Phe Gly Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp 180 185 190 Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile 195 200 205 Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg 210 215 220 Lys Pro Ser Met Ala Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser 225 230 235 240 Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe 245 250 255 Pro Gly Gly Ala Val Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr 260 265 270 Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu 275 280 285 Pro Phe Val Val Ile Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Lys Ile Leu Gln Arg Met 290 295 300 Thr Ser Ser Val Ala Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr 305 310 315 320 Lys Arg Val Thr Arg Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val 325 330 335 Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser 340 345 350 Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu 355 360 365 Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys 370 375 380 Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln 385 390 395 400 Gly Gln Leu Arg Thr Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg 405 410 415 Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly Thr 420 6 238 PRT Aequorea Victoria 6 Met Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu Val 1 5 10 15 Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser Gly Glu 20 25 30 Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile Cys 35 40 45 Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr Phe 50 55 60 Ser Tyr Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ser Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Lys Gln 65 70 75 80 His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu Arg 85 90 95 Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu Val 100 105 110 Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly Ile 115 120 125 Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr Asn 130 135 140 Tyr Asn Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Met Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn Gly 145 150 155 160 Ile Lys Val Asn Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser Val 165 170 175 Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly Pro 180 185 190 Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala Leu Ser 195 200 205 Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe Val 210 215 220 Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr His Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys 225 230 235 7 239 PRT Artificial Sequence GFP derivative 7 Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu 1 5 10 15 Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser Gly 20 25 30 Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile 35 40 45 Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr 50 55 60 Leu Thr Tyr Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ser Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Lys 65 70 75 80 Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu 85 90 95 Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu 100 105 110 Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly 115 120 125 Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr 130 135 140 Asn Tyr Asn Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Met Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn 145 150 155 160 Gly Ile Lys Val Asn Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser 165 170 175 Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly 180 185 190 Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala Leu 195 200 205 Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe 210 215 220 Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys 225 230 235 8 239 PRT Artificial Sequence GFP derivative 8 Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu 1 5 10 15 Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser Gly 20 25 30 Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile 35 40 45 Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr 50 55 60 Leu Thr Tyr Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ala Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Lys 65 70 75 80 Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu 85 90 95 Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu 100 105 110 Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly 115 120 125 Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr 130 135 140 Asn Tyr Asn Ser His Lys Val Tyr Ile Thr Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn 145 150 155 160 Gly Ile Lys Val Asn Phe Lys Thr Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser 165 170 175 Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly 180 185 190 Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala Leu 195 200 205 Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe 210 215 220 Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys 225 230 235 9 239 PRT Artificial Sequence GFP derivative 9 Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu 1 5 10 15 Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser Gly 20 25 30 Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile 35 40 45 Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr 50 55 60 Phe Gly Tyr Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ala Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Arg 65 70 75 80 Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu 85 90 95 Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu 100 105 110 Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly 115 120 125 Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr 130 135 140 Asn Tyr Asn Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Met Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn 145 150 155 160 Gly Ile Lys Val Asn Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser 165 170 175 Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly 180 185 190 Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Tyr Gln Ser Ala Leu 195 200 205 Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe 210 215 220 Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys 225 230 235 10 239 PRT Artificial Sequence GFP derivative 10 Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu 1 5 10 15 Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Arg Phe Ser Val Ser Gly 20 25 30 Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile 35 40 45 Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr 50 55 60 Leu Thr Trp Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ser Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Lys 65 70 75 80 Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu 85 90 95 Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu 100 105 110 Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly 115 120 125 Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr 130 135 140 Asn Tyr Ile Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Thr Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn 145 150 155 160 Gly Ile Lys Ala His Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser 165 170 175 Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly 180 185 190 Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala Leu 195 200 205 Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe 210 215 220 Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys 225 230 235 11 604 PRT Artificial Sequence Mouse MCH1R-linker-EGFP 11 Met Asp Leu Gln Ala Ser Leu Leu Ser Thr Gly Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn 1 5 10 15 Ile Ser Asp Gly Gln Asp Asn Phe Thr Leu Ala Gly Pro Pro Pro Arg 20 25 30 Thr Arg Ser Val Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met Pro Ser Val Phe Gly 35 40 45 Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Val Gly Asn Ser Thr Val Ile Phe Ala 50 55 60 Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Ser Asn Val Pro Asp Ile 65 70 75 80 Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu Phe Leu Leu Gly Met 85 90 95 Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly Val Trp His Phe Gly 100 105 110 Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe 115 120 125 Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala 130 135 140 Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg Lys Pro Ser Met Ala 145 150 155 160 Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr 165 170 175 Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe Pro Gly Gly Ala Val 180 185 190 Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe 195 200 205 Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu Pro Phe Val Val Ile 210 215 220 Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Lys Ile Leu Gln Arg Met Thr Ser Ser Val Ala 225 230 235 240 Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr Lys Arg Val Thr Arg 245 250 255 Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr 260 265 270 Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr 275 280 285 Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser 290 295 300 Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys 305 310 315 320 Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln Gly Gln Leu Arg Thr 325 330 335 Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly 340 345 350 Thr Val Asp Gly Thr Ala Gly Pro Gly Ser Ile Ala Thr Met Val Ser 355 360 365 Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu Val Glu Leu 370 375 380 Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser Gly Glu Gly Glu 385 390 395 400 Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile Cys Thr Thr 405 410 415 Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr Leu Thr Tyr 420 425 430 Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ser Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Lys Gln His Asp 435 440 445 Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu Arg Thr Ile 450 455 460 Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu Val Lys Phe 465 470 475 480 Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly Ile Asp Phe 485 490 495 Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr Asn Tyr Asn 500 505 510 Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Met Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn Gly Ile Lys 515 520 525 Val Asn Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser Val Gln Leu 530 535 540 Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly Pro Val Leu 545 550 555 560 Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala Leu Ser Lys Asp 565 570 575 Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe Val Thr Ala 580 585 590 Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys 595 600 12 592 PRT Artificial Sequence Mouse MCH1R/EGFP 12 Met Asp Leu Gln Ala Ser Leu Leu Ser Thr Gly Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn 1 5 10 15 Ile Ser Asp Gly Gln Asp Asn Phe Thr Leu Ala Gly Pro Pro Pro Arg 20 25 30 Thr Arg Ser Val Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met Pro Ser Val Phe Gly 35 40 45 Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Val Gly Asn Ser Thr Val Ile Phe Ala 50 55 60 Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Ser Asn Val Pro Asp Ile 65 70 75 80 Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu Phe Leu Leu Gly Met 85 90 95 Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly Val Trp His Phe Gly 100 105 110 Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe 115 120 125 Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala 130 135 140 Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg Lys Pro Ser Met Ala 145 150 155 160 Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr 165 170 175 Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe Pro Gly Gly Ala Val 180 185 190 Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe 195 200 205 Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu Pro Phe Val Val Ile 210 215 220 Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Lys Ile Leu Gln Arg Met Thr Ser Ser Val Ala 225 230 235 240 Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr Lys Arg Val Thr Arg 245 250 255 Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr 260 265 270 Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr 275 280 285 Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser 290 295 300 Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys 305 310 315 320 Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln Gly Gln Leu Arg Thr 325 330 335 Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly 340 345 350 Thr Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile 355 360 365 Leu Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser 370 375 380 Gly Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe 385 390 395 400 Ile Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr 405 410 415 Thr Leu Thr Tyr Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ser Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met 420 425 430 Lys Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln 435 440 445 Glu Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala 450 455 460 Glu Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys 465 470 475 480 Gly Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu 485 490 495 Tyr Asn Tyr Asn Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Met Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys 500 505 510 Asn Gly Ile Lys Val Asn Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly 515 520 525 Ser Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp 530 535 540 Gly Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala 545 550 555 560 Leu Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu 565 570 575 Phe Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys 580 585 590 13 604 PRT Artificial Sequence MCH1R-linker-EGFP 13 Met Asp Leu Glu Ala Ser Leu Leu Pro Thr Gly Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn 1 5 10 15 Thr Ser Asp Gly Pro Asp Asn Leu Thr Ser Ala Gly Ser Pro Pro Arg 20 25 30 Thr Gly Ser Ile Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met Pro Ser Val Phe Gly 35 40 45 Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Ile Gly Asn Ser Thr Val Ile Phe Ala 50 55 60 Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Asn Asn Val Pro Asp Ile 65 70 75 80 Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu Phe Leu Leu Gly Met 85 90 95 Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly Val Trp His Phe Gly 100 105 110 Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe 115 120 125 Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala 130 135 140 Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg Lys Pro Ser Met Ala 145 150 155 160 Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr 165 170 175 Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe Pro Gly Gly Ala Val 180 185 190 Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe 195 200 205 Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu Pro Phe Val Val Ile 210 215 220 Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Lys Ile Leu Gln Arg Met Thr Ser Ser Val Ala 225 230 235 240 Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr Lys Arg Val Thr Arg 245 250 255 Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr 260 265 270 Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr 275 280 285 Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser 290 295 300 Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys 305 310 315 320 Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln Gly Gln Leu Arg Thr 325 330 335 Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly 340 345 350 Thr Val Asp Gly Thr Ala Gly Pro Gly Ser Ile Ala Thr Met Val Ser 355 360 365 Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro Ile Leu Val Glu Leu 370 375 380 Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val Ser Gly Glu Gly Glu 385 390 395 400 Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys Phe Ile Cys Thr Thr 405 410 415 Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val Thr Thr Leu Thr Tyr 420 425 430 Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ser Arg Tyr Pro Asp His Met Lys Gln His Asp 435 440 445 Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val Gln Glu Arg Thr Ile 450 455 460 Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg Ala Glu Val Lys Phe 465 470 475 480 Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu Lys Gly Ile Asp Phe 485 490 495 Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu Glu Tyr Asn Tyr Asn 500 505 510 Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Met Ala Asp Lys Gln Lys Asn Gly Ile Lys 515 520 525 Val Asn Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser Val Gln Leu 530 535 540 Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly Asp Gly Pro Val Leu 545 550 555 560 Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser Ala Leu Ser Lys Asp 565 570 575 Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu Glu Phe Val Thr Ala 580 585 590 Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr Lys 595 600 14 673 PRT Artificial Sequence MCH1R-linker-EGFP 14 Met Ser Val Gly Ala Met Lys Lys Gly Val Gly Arg Ala Val Gly Leu 1 5 10 15 Gly Gly Gly Ser Gly Cys Gln Ala Thr Glu Glu Asp Pro Leu Pro Asn 20 25 30 Cys Gly Ala Cys Ala Pro Gly Gln Gly Gly Arg Arg Trp Arg Leu Pro 35 40 45 Gln Pro Ala Trp Val Glu Gly Ser Ser Ala Arg Leu Trp Glu Gln Ala 50 55 60 Thr Gly Thr Gly Trp Met Asp Leu Glu Ala Ser Leu Leu Pro Thr Gly 65 70 75 80 Pro Asn Ala Ser Asn Thr Ser Asp Gly Pro Asp Asn Leu Thr Ser Ala 85 90 95 Gly Ser Pro Pro Arg Thr Gly Ser Ile Ser Tyr Ile Asn Ile Ile Met 100 105 110 Pro Ser Val Phe Gly Thr Ile Cys Leu Leu Gly Ile Ile Gly Asn Ser 115 120 125 Thr Val Ile Phe Ala Val Val Lys Lys Ser Lys Leu His Trp Cys Asn 130 135 140 Asn Val Pro Asp Ile Phe Ile Ile Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asp Leu Leu 145 150 155 160 Phe Leu Leu Gly Met Pro Phe Met Ile His Gln Leu Met Gly Asn Gly 165 170 175 Val Trp His Phe Gly Glu Thr Met Cys Thr Leu Ile Thr Ala Met Asp 180 185 190 Ala Asn Ser Gln Phe Thr Ser Thr Tyr Ile Leu Thr Ala Met Ala Ile 195 200 205 Asp Arg Tyr Leu Ala Thr Val His Pro Ile Ser Ser Thr Lys Phe Arg 210 215 220 Lys Pro Ser Met Ala Thr Leu Val Ile Cys Leu Leu Trp Ala Leu Ser 225 230 235 240 Phe Ile Ser Ile Thr Pro Val Trp Leu Tyr Ala Arg Leu Ile Pro Phe 245 250 255 Pro Gly Gly Ala Val Gly Cys Gly Ile Arg Leu Pro Asn Pro Asp Thr 260 265 270 Asp Leu Tyr Trp Phe Thr Leu Tyr Gln Phe Phe Leu Ala Phe Ala Leu 275 280 285 Pro Phe Val Val Ile Thr Ala Ala Tyr Val Lys Ile Leu Gln Arg Met 290 295 300 Thr Ser Ser Val Ala Pro Ala Ser Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Arg Thr 305 310 315 320 Lys Arg Val Thr Arg Thr Ala Ile Ala Ile Cys Leu Val Phe Phe Val 325 330 335 Cys Trp Ala Pro Tyr Tyr Val Leu Gln Leu Thr Gln Leu Ser Ile Ser 340 345 350 Arg Pro Thr Leu Thr Phe Val Tyr Leu Tyr Asn Ala Ala Ile Ser Leu 355 360 365 Gly Tyr Ala Asn Ser Cys Leu Asn Pro Phe Val Tyr Ile Val Leu Cys 370 375 380 Glu Thr Phe Arg Lys Arg Leu Val Leu Ser Val Lys Pro Ala Ala Gln 385 390 395 400 Gly Gln Leu Arg Thr Val Ser Asn Ala Gln Thr Ala Asp Glu Glu Arg 405 410 415 Thr Glu Ser Lys Gly Thr Val Asp Gly Thr Ala Gly Pro Gly Ser Ile 420 425 430 Ala Thr Met Val Ser Lys Gly Glu Glu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Val Pro 435 440 445 Ile Leu Val Glu Leu Asp Gly Asp Val Asn Gly His Lys Phe Ser Val 450 455 460 Ser Gly Glu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Thr Tyr Gly Lys Leu Thr Leu Lys 465 470 475 480 Phe Ile Cys Thr Thr Gly Lys Leu Pro Val Pro Trp Pro Thr Leu Val 485 490 495 Thr Thr Leu Thr Tyr Gly Val Gln Cys Phe Ser Arg Tyr Pro Asp His 500 505 510 Met Lys Gln His Asp Phe Phe Lys Ser Ala Met Pro Glu Gly Tyr Val 515 520 525 Gln Glu Arg Thr Ile Phe Phe Lys Asp Asp Gly Asn Tyr Lys Thr Arg 530 535 540 Ala Glu Val Lys Phe Glu Gly Asp Thr Leu Val Asn Arg Ile Glu Leu 545 550 555 560 Lys Gly Ile Asp Phe Lys Glu Asp Gly Asn Ile Leu Gly His Lys Leu 565 570 575 Glu Tyr Asn Tyr Asn Ser His Asn Val Tyr Ile Met Ala Asp Lys Gln 580 585 590 Lys Asn Gly Ile Lys Val Asn Phe Lys Ile Arg His Asn Ile Glu Asp 595 600 605 Gly Ser Val Gln Leu Ala Asp His Tyr Gln Gln Asn Thr Pro Ile Gly 610 615 620 Asp Gly Pro Val Leu Leu Pro Asp Asn His Tyr Leu Ser Thr Gln Ser 625 630 635 640 Ala Leu Ser Lys Asp Pro Asn Glu Lys Arg Asp His Met Val Leu Leu 645 650 655 Glu Phe Val Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile Thr Leu Gly Met Asp Glu Leu Tyr 660 665 670 Lys 15 1269 DNA Human 15 atgtcagtgg gagccatgaa gaagggagtg gggagggcag ttgggcttgg aggcggcagc 60 ggctgccagg ctacggagga agaccccctt cccaactgcg gggcttgcgc tccgggacaa 120 ggtggcaggc gctggaggct gccgcagcct gcgtgggtgg aggggagctc agctcggttg 180 tgggagcagg cgaccggcac tggctggatg gacctggaag cctcgctgct gcccactggt 240 cccaacgcca gcaacacctc tgatggcccc gataacctca cttcggcagg atcacctcct 300 cgcacgggga gcatctccta catcaacatc atcatgcctt cggtgttcgg caccatctgc 360 ctcctgggca tcatcgggaa ctccacggtc atcttcgcgg tcgtgaagaa gtccaagctg 420 cactggtgca acaacgtccc cgacatcttc atcatcaacc tctcggtagt agatctcctc 480 tttctcctgg gcatgccctt catgatccac cagctcatgg gcaatggggt gtggcacttt 540 ggggagacca tgtgcaccct catcacggcc atggatgcca atagtcagtt caccagcacc 600 tacatcctga ccgccatggc cattgaccgc tacctggcca ctgtccaccc catctcttcc 660 acgaagttcc ggaagccctc tgtggccacc ctggtgatct gcctcctgtg ggccctctcc 720 ttcatcagca tcacccctgt gtggctgtat gccagactca tccccttccc aggaggtgca 780 gtgggctgcg gcatacgcct gcccaaccca gacactgacc tctactggtt caccctgtac 840 cagtttttcc tggcctttgc cctgcctttt gtggtcatca cagccgcata cgtgaggatc 900 ctgcagcgca tgacgtcctc agtggccccc gcctcccagc gcagcatccg gctgcggaca 960 aagagggtga cccgcacagc catcgccatc tgtctggtct tctttgtgtg ctgggcaccc 1020 tactatgtgc tacagctgac ccagttgtcc atcagccgcc cgaccctcac ctttgtctac 1080 ttatacaatg cggccatcag cttgggctat gccaacagct gcctcaaccc ctttgtgtac 1140 atcgtgctct gtgagacgtt ccgcaaacgc ttggtcctgt cggtgaagcc tgcagcccag 1200 gggcagcttc gcgctgtcag caacgctcag acggctgacg aggagaggac agaaagcaaa 1260 ggcacctga 1269 16 1062 DNA Human 16 atggacctgg aagcctcgct gctgcccact ggtcccaatg ccagcaacac ctctgatggc 60 cccgataacc tcacttcggc aggatcacct cctcgcacgg ggagcatctc ctacatcaac 120 atcatcatgc cttcggtgtt cggcaccatc tgcctcctgg gcatcatcgg gaactccacg 180 gtcatcttcg cggtcgtgaa gaagtccaag ctgcactggt gcaacaacgt ccccgacatc 240 ttcatcatca acctctcggt agtagatctc ctctttctcc tgggcatgcc cttcatgatc 300 caccagctca tgggcaatgg ggtgtggcac tttggggaga ccatgtgcac cctcatcacg 360 gccatggatg ccaatagtca gttcaccagc acctacatcc tgaccgccat ggccattgac 420 cgctacctgg ccactgtcca ccccatctct tccacgaagt tccggaagcc ctctgtggcc 480 accctggtga tctgcctcct gtgggccctc tccttcatca gcatcacccc tgtgtggctg 540 tatgccagac tcatcccctt cccaggaggt gcagtgggct gcggcatacg cctgcccaac 600 ccagacactg acctctactg gttcaccctg taccagtttt tcctggcctt tgccctgcct 620 tttgtggtca tcacagccgc atacgtgagg atcctgcagc gcatgacgtc ctcagtggcc 720 cccgcctccc agcgcagcat ccggctgcgg acaaagaggg tgacccgcac agccatcgcc 780 atctgtctgg tcttctttgt gtgctgggca ccctactatg tgctacagct gacccagttg 840 tccatcagcc gcccgaccct cacctttgtc tacttataca atgcggccat cagcttgggc 900 tatgccaaca gctgcctcaa cccctttgtg tacatcgtgc tctgtgagac gttccgcaaa 960 cgcttggtcc tgtcggtgaa gcctgcagcc caggggcagc ttcgcgctgt cagcaacgct 1020 cagacggctg acgaggagag gacagaaagc aaaggcacct ga 1062 17 2080 DNA Mouse misc_feature (1)...(2080) n = A,T,C or G 17 ggcggtagag gaagaccctt ttctggactg cggggctcaa gctccggaca aggcggtgga 60 gggcgctgga ggctgccgca gcctgcgtgg gtggacgggc gctccactcc agggagcagg 120 cgacctgcac cggctgcatg gatctgcaag cctcgttgct gtccactggc cccaatgcca 180 gcaacatctc cgatggccag gataatttca cattggcggg gccacctcct cgcacaagga 240 gtgtctccta catcaacatc atcatgcctt cagtgtttgg taccatctgt ctcctgggca 300 ttgtgggaaa ctccacagtc atttttgccg tggtgaagaa atccaagctg cactggtgca 360 gcaacgtccc tgacatcttc atcatcaacc tctctgtggt ggatctgctt ttcctgctgg 420 gcatgccttt catgatccac cagctcatgg gtaatggtgt ctggcacttt ggggaaacca 480 tgtgcaccct catcacagcc atggacgcca acagtcagtt caccagcacc tacatcctga 540 ctgctatggc cattgaccgc tacttggcca ccgtccatcc catctcctcc accaagttcc 600 ggaagccctc catggccacc ctggtgatct gcctcctgtg ggctctctcg ttcattagca 660 tcactcctgt gtggctctat gccaggctta tccccttccc agggggtgct gtgggctgtg 720 gcatccgcct accaaaccca gatactgatc tttactggtt cactctgtat cagtttttcc 780 tggccttcgc ccttccgttt gtggtcatca ctgctgcgta cgtgaaaata ctacagcgca 840 tgacgtcttc ggtggcccca gcctctcaac gcagcatccg gcttcggaca aagagggtga 900 cccgcacagc cattgccatc tgtctggtct tctttgtgtg ctgggcgccc tactacgtgc 960 tgcagctgac ccagttgtcc atcagccgcc cgaccctcac attcgtctac ctgtacaatg 1020 cggccatcag cttgggctat gccaacagct gcctcaatcc ctttgtgtac atagtactct 1080 gtgagacctt tcgaaaacgc ttggtgctgt cggtgaagcc cgcggcccag gggcagcttc 1140 gcacggtcag caatgctcag acagctgacg aggagaggac agaaagcaaa ggcacctgac 1200 aatccccccc ggtcacctcc aagtcaggtc accgcatcaa accatgggga gagatactga 1260 gataaacccg gggctaccct gggaggatgc agaagctgga ggctgggggc ttgtagcaaa 1320 ccacattcca cggggcccac aaattgctag ggaggcttgc agcctggttt gggggggaag 1380 cctcagactg cagggatccc cttgacagaa tagaagcgga gcaagaagga aagggtggtt 1440 tgactggttc tcggggtctg tatctgttgg ctcgcatata tctttctctc aagggaagaa 1500 ggcggaggtg cctagctggg ttcctttaaa actaggcagg gctaggatct gagcagctag 1560 ggctctactg tgagactggg caagccgagc gttccctccc atctctcatt ggtgttgata 1620 gaaggcagtc tttctcccaa gctggtggat ctcctgaagc acgctgcctg ggctccagca 1680 tcctgtgcgg atttcacgtt ctctttaggg gatgcatgtt gacactgggg tgtgggctct 1740 gagcccacag gagtttaaaa aaccaaaaga gctcagagtg tcgagagaga cccaatcacc 1800 gagaatgaca aggcaacctg gggtggatgt ggatcttgaa actaataaaa aggggttttc 1860 acagtgacag cgacattctc ttcatagggc acagctgtca gtctatggct gatccagagc 1920 gagcatccat gaattctgca tgtgcagggg tcactctaat acctgatatg ttggcatcat 1980 ctttgtgctt gagccttccn ctcccaaatg ggaatgaaat aaaggcaaat tcccnccccc 2040 cccaaaaaag gggnaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 2080 18 3357 DNA Mouse misc_feature (1)...(3357) n = A,T,C or G 18 ggcggtagag gaagaccctt ttctggactg cggggctcaa gctccggaca aggcggtgga 60 gggcgctgga ggctgccgca gcctgcgtgg gtggacgggc gctccactcc agggagcagg 120 cgacctgcac cggctgcatg gatctgcaag cctcgttgct gtccactggc cccaatgcca 180 gcaacatctc cgatggccag gataatttca cattggcggg tgagtcgagt tggagtcctc 240 cctcctccgg gatgggtgtg gaaaatggga aggtttcacc tcccaagcca aactgcctgg 300 gaaactttat cttacagttc ttggtgataa gatctgcagt cggctttgcc tgaagaggaa 360 gaggagagga ggggacacca gctaggacag aaggggcagg gaggaataga gatggggcag 420 aggcacattt agaaacaaca agggttggtg acaagacgtg aggcaggctt gaggggaaag 480 cttgctgatg agtcccaaat atgctttgca gggggggggg ggggggaatc aaggctggag 540 aagcaagcaa gcaagacagc aagacagcgg gcgggtagta tgtgggagcc agcagaagcg 600 ctttgattca ccgctatcct gggctcaatc ctctggcctc gcactgggga aatggggtct 660 gagtggtcct tgctgtcttc tggcaaaggc tgctgggagc aaaagacttc acagggcgtg 720 agaggattaa cttttctggt gaattaagct tcttgacatt tgcagaacgt caatgcctta 780 aaattctagc tctgaaggag aagggaatga aggggaaaga gggaaggttg gtgtggagaa 840 attcccaagc ttctggggtg taacacagct ccagtcccta ccctattggg aaagcccaga 900 ctcaggagac atggtccaag gaaatccctg acagaaaacc gggagagggc agggctgtgg 960 agcctgaaac acaccccaca cccatggtga cagtcacttc tcacatatgc ctaggaacct 1020 atctgaaacc tttggccatc tctctctgaa aagatgaggc tgcaaataca cacacacaca 1080 cacacacaca cacacacaca cacacacaca cacacacaca cacacacaca aatgtccttc 1140 aagccttttt gacaaggttt tctggtggat cccggggata tgaagttgtt ctcagcagat 1200 atctgggagt cttgactcct ggccctctga gtaaatggat gaagcgaaga agaatggggt 1260 cctctgagta acaggtggat ctagaaaatc ctataggagt caccagggca cggtggagga 1320 gggtaaggta cagaactaac aatagcccga gaaggggaaa cagcaggaga tgattccaga 1380 gacgtagtga ccccaagctg caagggaaag catgaggggc cagcaggaag gccgacatgg 1440 caggttgtca gcttctagat cggaaggcgg gtcacacttg ctctttctat cctcagggcc 1500 acctcctcgc acaaggagtg tctcctacat caacatcatc atgccttcag tgtttggtac 1560 catctgtctc ctgggcattg tgggaaactc cacagtcatt tttgccgtgg tgaagaaatc 1620 caagctgcac tggtgcagca acgtccctga catcttcatc atcaacctct ctgtggtgga 1680 tctgcttttc ctgctgggca tgcctttcat gatccaccag ctcatgggta atggtgtctg 1740 gcactttggg gaaaccatgt gcaccctcat cacagccatg gacgccaaca gtcagttcac 1800 cagcacctac atcctgactg ctatggccat tgaccgctac ttggccaccg tccatcccat 1860 ctcctccacc aagttccgga agccctccat ggccaccctg gtgatctgcc tcctgtgggc 1920 tctctcgttc attagcatca ctcctgtgtg gctctatgcc aggcttatcc ccttcccagg 1980 gggtgctgtg ggctgtggca tccgcctacc aaacccagat actgatcttt actggttcac 2040 tctgtatcag tttttcctgg ccttcgccct tccgtttgtg gtcatcactg ctgcgtacgt 2100 gaaaatacta cagcgcatga cgtcttcggt ggccccagcc tctcaacgca gcatccggct 2160 tcggacaaag agggtgaccc gcacagccat tgccatctgt ctggtcttct ttgtgtgctg 2220 ggcgccctac tacgtgctgc agctgaccca gttgtccatc agccgcccga ccctcacatt 2280 cgtctacctg tacaatgcgg ccatcagctt gggctatgcc aacagctgcc tcaatccctt 2340 tgtgtacata gtactctgtg agacctttcg aaaacgcttg gtgctgtcgg tgaagcccgc 2400 ggcccagggg cagcttcgca cggtcagcaa tgctcagaca gctgacgagg agaggacaga 2460 aagcaaaggc acctgacaat cccccccggt cacctccaag tcaggtcacc gcatcaaacc 2520 atggggagag atactgagat aaacccgggg ctaccctggg aggatgcaga agctggaggc 2580 tgggggcttg tagcaaacca cattccacgg ggcccacaaa ttgctaggga ggcttgcagc 2640 ctggtttggg ggggaagcct cagactgcag ggatcccctt gacagaatag aagcggagca 2700 agaaggaaag ggtggtttga ctggttctcg gggtctgtat ctgttggctc gcatatatct 2760 ttctctcaag ggaagaaggc ggaggtgcct agctgggttc ctttaaaact aggcagggct 2820 aggatctgag cagctagggc tctactgtga gactgggcaa gccgagcgtt ccctcccatc 2880 tctcattggt gttgatagaa ggcagtcttt ctcccaagct ggtggatctc ctgaagcacg 2940 ctgcctgggc tccagcatcc tgtgcggatt tcacgttctc tttaggggat gcatgttgac 3000 actggggtgt gggctctgag cccacaggag tttaaaaaac caaaagagct cagagtgtcg 3060 agagagaccc aatcaccgag aatgacaagg caacctgggg tggatgtgga tcttgaaact 3120 aataaaaagg ggttttcaca gtgacagcga cattctcttc atagggcaca gctgtcagtc 3180 tatggctgat ccagagcgag catccatgaa ttctgcatgt gcaggggtca ctctaatacc 3240 tgatatgttg gcatcatctt tgtgcttgag ccttccnctc ccaaatggga atgaaataaa 3300 ggcaaattcc cncccccccc aaaaaagggg naaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaa 3357 19 1062 DNA Artificial Sequence Human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R 19 atggacctgg aagcctcgct gctgcccact ggtcccaatg ccagcaacac ctctgatggc 60 cccgataacc tcacttcggc aggatcacct cctcgcacgg ggagcatctc ctacatcaac 120 atcatcatgc cttcggtgtt cggcaccatc tgcctcctgg gcatcatcgg gaactccacg 180 gtcatcttcg cggtcgtgaa gaagtccaag ctgcactggt gcaacaacgt ccccgacatc 240 ttcatcatca acctctcggt agtagatctc ctctttctcc tgggcatgcc cttcatgatc 300 caccagctca tgggcaatgg ggtgtggcac tttggggaga ccatgtgcac cctcatcacg 360 gccatggatg ccaatagtca gttcaccagc acctacatcc tgaccgccat ggccattgac 420 cgctacctgg ccactgtcca ccccatctct tccacgaagt tccggaagcc ctccatggcc 480 accctggtga tctgcctcct gtgggctctc tcgttcatta gcatcactcc tgtgtggctc 540 tatgccaggc ttatcccctt cccagggggt gctgtgggct gtggcatccg cctaccaaac 600 ccagatactg atctttactg gttcactctg tatcagtttt tcctggcctt cgcccttccg 660 tttgtggtca tcactgctgc gtacgtgaaa atactacagc gcatgacgtc ttcggtggcc 720 ccagcctctc aacgcagcat ccggcttcgg acaaagaggg tgacccgcac agccattgcc 780 atctgtctgg tcttctttgt gtgctgggcg ccctactacg tgctgcagct gacccagttg 840 tccatcagcc gcccgaccct cacattcgtc tacctgtaca atgcggccat cagcttgggc 900 tatgccaaca gctgcctcaa tccctttgtg tacatagtac tctgtgagac ctttcgaaaa 960 cgcttggtgc tgtcggtgaa gcccgcggcc caggggcagc ttcgcacggt cagcaatgct 1020 cagacagctg acgaggagag gacagaaagc aaaggcacct ga 1062 20 1269 DNA Artificial Sequence Human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R 20 atgtcagtgg gagccatgaa gaagggagtg gggagggcag ttgggcttgg aggcggcagc 60 ggctgccagg ctacggagga agaccccctt cccaactgcg gggcttgcgc tccgggacaa 120 ggtggcaggc gctggaggct gccgcagcct gcgtgggtgg aggggagctc agctcggttg 180 tgggagcagg cgaccggcac tggctggatg gacctggaag cctcgctgct gcccactggt 240 cccaacgcca gcaacacctc tgatggcccc gataacctca cttcggcagg atcacctcct 300 cgcacgggga gcatctccta catcaacatc atcatgcctt cggtgttcgg caccatctgc 360 ctcctgggca tcatcgggaa ctccacggtc atcttcgcgg tcgtgaagaa gtccaagctg 420 cactggtgca acaacgtccc cgacatcttc atcatcaacc tctcggtagt agatctcctc 480 tttctcctgg gcatgccctt catgatccac cagctcatgg gcaatggggt gtggcacttt 540 ggggagacca tgtgcaccct catcacggcc atggatgcca atagtcagtt caccagcacc 600 tacatcctga ccgccatggc cattgaccgc tacctggcca ctgtccaccc catctcttcc 660 acgaagttcc ggaagccctc catggccacc ctggtgatct gcctcctgtg ggctctctcg 720 ttcattagca tcactcctgt gtggctctat gccaggctta tccccttccc agggggtgct 780 gtgggctgtg gcatccgcct accaaaccca gatactgatc tttactggtt cactctgtat 840 cagtttttcc tggccttcgc ccttccgttt gtggtcatca ctgctgcgta cgtgaaaata 900 ctacagcgca tgacgtcttc ggtggcccca gcctctcaac gcagcatccg gcttcggaca 960 aagagggtga cccgcacagc cattgccatc tgtctggtct tctttgtgtg ctgggcgccc 1020 tactacgtgc tgcagctgac ccagttgtcc atcagccgcc cgaccctcac attcgtctac 1080 ctgtacaatg cggccatcag cttgggctat gccaacagct gcctcaatcc ctttgtgtac 1140 atagtactct gtgagacctt tcgaaaacgc ttggtgctgt cggtgaagcc cgcggcccag 1200 gggcagcttc gcacggtcag caatgctcag acagctgacg aggagaggac agaaagcaaa 1260 ggcacctga 1269 21 966 DNA Aequorea Victoria 21 tacacacgaa taaaagataa caaagatgag taaaggagaa gaacttttca ctggagttgt 60 cccaattctt gttgaattag atggtgatgt taatgggcac aaattttctg tcagtggaga 120 gggtgaaggt gatgcaacat acggaaaact tacccttaaa tttatttgca ctactggaaa 180 actacctgtt ccatggccaa cacttgtcac tactttctct tatggtgttc aatgcttttc 240 aagataccca gatcatatga aacagcatga ctttttcaag agtgccatgc ccgaaggtta 300 tgtacaggaa agaactatat ttttcaaaga tgacgggaac tacaagacac gtgctgaagt 360 caagtttgaa ggtgataccc ttgttaatag aatcgagtta aaaggtattg attttaaaga 420 agatggaaac attcttggac acaaattgga atacaactat aactcacaca atgtatacat 480 catggcagac aaacaaaaga atggaatcaa agttaacttc aaaattagac acaacattga 540 agatggaagc gttcaactag cagaccatta tcaacaaaat actccaattg gcgatggccc 600 tgtcctttta ccagacaacc attacctgtc cacacaatct gccctttcga aagatcccaa 660 cgaaaagaga gaccacatgg tccttcttga gtttgtaaca gctgctggga ttacacatgg 720 catggatgaa ctatacaaat aaatgtccag acttccaatt gacactaaag tgtccgaaca 780 attactaaaa tctcagggtt cctggttaaa ttcaggctga gatattattt atatatttat 840 agattcatta aaattgtatg aataatttat tgatgttatt gatagaggtt attttcttat 900 taaacaggct acttggagtg tattcttaat tctatattaa ttacaatttg atttgacttg 960 ctcaaa 966 22 765 DNA Artificial Sequence GFP derivative 22 gtcgacggta ccgcgggccc gggatccatc gccaccatgg tgagcaaggg cgaggagctg 60 ttcaccgggg tggtgcccat cctggtcgag ctggacggcg acgtaaacgg ccacaagttc 120 agcgtgtccg gcgagggcga gggcgatgcc acctacggca agctgaccct gaagttcatc 180 tgcaccaccg gcaagctgcc cgtgccctgg cccaccctcg tgaccaccct gacctacggc 240 gtgcagtgct tcagccgcta ccccgaccac atgaagcagc acgacttctt caagtccgcc 300 atgcccgaag gctacgtcca ggagcgcacc atcttcttca aggacgacgg caactacaag 360 acccgcgccg aggtgaagtt cgagggcgac accctggtga accgcatcga gctgaagggc 420 atcgacttca aggaggacgg caacatcctg gggcacaagc tggagtacaa ctacaacagc 480 cacaacgtct atatcatggc cgacaagcag aagaacggca tcaaggtgaa cttcaagatc 540 cgccacaaca tcgaggacgg cagcgtgcag ctcgccgacc actaccagca gaacaccccc 600 atcggcgacg gccccgtgct gctgcccgac aaccactacc tgagcaccca gtccgccctg 660 agcaaagacc ccaacgagaa gcgcgatcac atggtcctgc tggagttcgt gaccgccgcc 720 gggatcactc tcggcatgga cgagctgtac aagtaaagcg gccgc 765 23 720 DNA Artificial Sequence GFP derivative 23 atggtgagca agggcgagga gctgttcacc ggggtggtgc ccatcctggt cgagctggac 60 ggcgacgtaa acggccacaa gttcagcgtg tccggcgagg gcgagggcga tgccacctac 120 ggcaagctga ccctgaagtt catctgcacc accggcaagc tgcccgtgcc ctggcccacc 180 ctcgtgacca ccttgaccta cggcgtgcag tgcttcgccc gctaccccga ccacatgaag 240 cagcacgact tcttcaagtc cgccatgccc gaaggctacg tccaggagcg caccatcttc 300 ttcaaggacg acggcaacta caagacccgc gccgaggtga agttcgaggg cgacaccctg 360 gtgaaccgca tcgagctgaa gggcatcgac ttcaaggagg acggcaacat cctggggcac 420 aagctggagt acaactacaa cagccacaag gtctatatca ccgccgacaa gcagaagaac 480 ggcatcaagg tgaacttcaa gacccgccac aacatcgagg acggcagcgt gcagctcgcc 540 gaccactacc agcagaacac ccccatcggc gacggccccg tgctgctgcc cgacaaccac 600 tacctgagca cccagtccgc cctgagcaaa gaccccaacg agaagcgcga tcacatggtc 660 ctgctggagt tcgtgaccgc cgccgggatc actctcggca tggacgagct gtacaagtaa 720 24 720 DNA Artificial Sequence GFP derivative 24 atggtgagca agggcgagga gctgttcacc ggggtggtgc ccatcctggt cgagctggac 60 ggcgacgtaa acggccacaa gttcagcgtg tccggcgagg gcgagggcga tgccacctac 120 ggcaagctga ccctgaagtt catctgcacc accggcaagc tgcccgtgcc ctggcccacc 180 ctcgtgacca ccttcggcta cggcgtgcag tgcttcgccc gctaccccga ccacatgcgc 240 cagcacgact tcttcaagtc cgccatgccc gaaggctacg tccaggagcg caccatcttc 300 ttcaaggacg acggcaacta caagacccgc gccgaggtga agttcgaggg cgacaccctg 360 gtgaaccgca tcgagctgaa gggcatcgac ttcaaggagg acggcaacat cctggggcac 420 aagctggagt acaactacaa cagccacaac gtctatatca tggccgacaa gcagaagaac 480 ggcatcaagg tgaacttcaa gatccgccac aacatcgagg acggcagcgt gcagctcgcc 540 gaccactacc agcagaacac ccccatcggc gacggccccg tgctgctgcc cgacaaccac 600 tacctgagct accagtccgc cctgagcaaa gaccccaacg agaagcgcga tcacatggtc 660 ctgctggagt tcgtgaccgc cgccgggatc actctcggca tggacgagct gtacaagtaa 720 25 720 DNA Artificial Sequence GFP derivative 25 atggtgagca agggcgagga gctgttcacc ggggtggtgc ccatcctggt cgagctggac 60 ggcgacgtaa acggccacag gttcagcgtg tccggcgagg gcgagggcga tgccacctac 120 ggcaagctga ccctgaagtt catctgcacc accggcaagc tgcccgtgcc ctggcccacc 180 ctcgtgacca ccctgacctg gggcgtgcag tgcttcagcc gctaccccga ccacatgaag 240 cagcacgact tcttcaagtc cgccatgccc gaaggctacg tccaggagcg taccatcttc 300 ttcaaggacg acggcaacta caagacccgc gccgaggtga agttcgaggg cgacaccctg 360 gtgaaccgca tcgagctgaa gggcatcgac ttcaaggagg acggcaacat cctggggcac 420 aagctggagt acaactacat cagccacaac gtctatatca ccgccgacaa gcagaagaac 480 ggcatcaagg cccacttcaa gatccgccac aacatcgagg acggcagcgt gcagctcgcc 540 gaccactacc agcagaacac ccccatcggc gacggccccg tgctgctgcc cgacaaccac 600 tacctgagca cccagtccgc cctgagcaaa gaccccaacg agaagcgcga tcacatggtc 660 ctgctggagt tcgtgaccgc cgccgggatc actctcggca tggacgagct gtacaagtaa 720 26 3092 DNA Artificial Sequence Mouse MCH1R-linker-EGFP 26 atggatctgc aagcctcgtt gctgtccact ggccccaatg ccagcaacat ctccgatggc 60 caggataatt tcacattggc gggtgagtcg agttggagtc ctccctcctc cgggatgggt 120 gtggaaaatg ggaaggtttc acctcccaag ccaaactgcc tgggaaactt tatcttacag 180 ttcttggtga taagatctgc agtcggcttt gcctgaagag gaagaggaga ggaggggaca 240 ccagctagga cagaaggggc agggaggaat agagatgggg cagaggcaca tttagaaaca 300 acaagggttg gtgacaagac gtgaggcagg cttgagggga aagcttgctg atgagtccca 360 aatatgcttt gcaggggggg ggggggggga atcaaggctg gagaagcaag caagcaagac 420 agcaagacag cgggcgggta gtatgtggga gccagcagaa gcgctttgat tcaccgctat 480 cctgggctca atcctctggc ctcgcactgg ggaaatgggg tctgagtggt ccttgctgtc 540 ttctggcaaa ggctgctggg agcaaaagac ttcacagggc gtgagaggat taacttttct 600 ggtgaattaa gcttcttgac atttgcagaa cgtcaatgcc ttaaaattct agctctgaag 660 gagaagggaa tgaaggggaa agagggaagg ttggtgtgga gaaattccca agcttctggg 720 gtgtaacaca gctccagtcc ctaccctatt gggaaagccc agactcagga gacatggtcc 780 aaggaaatcc ctgacagaaa accgggagag ggcagggctg tggagcctga aacacacccc 840 acacccatgg tgacagtcac ttctcacata tgcctaggaa cctatctgaa acctttggcc 900 atctctctct gaaaagatga ggctgcaaat acacacacac acacacacac acacacacac 960 acacacacac acacacacac acacacacac acaaatgtcc ttcaagcctt tttgacaagg 1020 ttttctggtg gatcccgggg atatgaagtt gttctcagca gatatctggg agtcttgact 1080 cctggccctc tgagtaaatg gatgaagcga agaagaatgg ggtcctctga gtaacaggtg 1140 gatctagaaa atcctatagg agtcaccagg gcacggtgga ggagggtaag gtacagaact 1200 aacaatagcc cgagaagggg aaacagcagg agatgattcc agagacgtag tgaccccaag 1260 ctgcaaggga aagcatgagg ggccagcagg aaggccgaca tggcaggttg tcagcttcta 1320 gatcggaagg cgggtcacac ttgctctttc tatcctcagg gccacctcct cgcacaagga 1380 gtgtctccta catcaacatc atcatgcctt cagtgtttgg taccatctgt ctcctgggca 1440 ttgtgggaaa ctccacagtc atttttgccg tggtgaagaa atccaagctg cactggtgca 1500 gcaacgtccc tgacatcttc atcatcaacc tctctgtggt ggatctgctt ttcctgctgg 1560 gcatgccttt catgatccac cagctcatgg gtaatggtgt ctggcacttt ggggaaacca 1620 tgtgcaccct catcacagcc atggacgcca acagtcagtt caccagcacc tacatcctga 1680 ctgctatggc cattgaccgc tacttggcca ccgtccatcc catctcctcc accaagttcc 1740 ggaagccctc catggccacc ctggtgatct gcctcctgtg ggctctctcg ttcattagca 1800 tcactcctgt gtggctctat gccaggctta tccccttccc agggggtgct gtgggctgtg 1860 gcatccgcct accaaaccca gatactgatc tttactggtt cactctgtat cagtttttcc 1920 tggccttcgc ccttccgttt gtggtcatca ctgctgcgta cgtgaaaata ctacagcgca 1980 tgacgtcttc ggtggcccca gcctctcaac gcagcatccg gcttcggaca aagagggtga 2040 cccgcacagc cattgccatc tgtctggtct tctttgtgtg ctgggcgccc tactacgtgc 2100 tgcagctgac ccagttgtcc atcagccgcc cgaccctcac attcgtctac ctgtacaatg 2160 cggccatcag cttgggctat gccaacagct gcctcaatcc ctttgtgtac atagtactct 2220 gtgagacctt tcgaaaacgc ttggtgctgt cggtgaagcc cgcggcccag gggcagcttc 2280 gcacggtcag caatgctcag acagctgacg aggagaggac agaaagcaaa ggcaccgtcg 2340 acggtaccgc gggcccggga tccatcgcca ccatggtgag caagggcgag gagctgttca 2400 ccggggtggt gcccatcctg gtcgagctgg acggcgacgt aaacggccac aagttcagcg 2460 tgtccggcga gggcgagggc gatgccacct acggcaagct gaccctgaag ttcatctgca 2520 ccaccggcaa gctgcccgtg ccctggccca ccctcgtgac caccctgacc tacggcgtgc 2580 agtgcttcag ccgctacccc gaccacatga agcagcacga cttcttcaag tccgccatgc 2640 ccgaaggcta cgtccaggag cgcaccatct tcttcaagga cgacggcaac tacaagccc 2700 gcgccgaggt gaagttcgag ggcgacaccc tggtgaaccg catcgagctg aagggcacg 2760 acttcaagga ggacggcaac atcctggggc acaagctgga gtacaactac aacagccaa 2820 acgtctatat catggccgac aagcagaaga acggcatcaa ggtgaacttc aagatccgcc 2880 acaacatcga ggacggcagc gtgcagctcg ccgaccacta ccagcagaac acccccatcg 2940 gcgacggccc cgtgctgctg cccgacaacc actacctgag cacccagtcc gccctgagca 3000 aagaccccaa cgagaagcgc gatcacatgg tcctgctgga gttcgtgacc gccgccggga 3060 tcactctcgg catggacgag ctgtacaagt aa 3092 27 3056 DNA Artificial Sequence Mouse MCH1R/EGFP direct fusion 27 atggatctgc aagcctcgtt gctgtccact ggccccaatg ccagcaacat ctccgatggc 60 caggataatt tcacattggc gggtgagtcg agttggagtc ctccctcctc cgggatgggt 120 gtggaaaatg ggaaggtttc acctcccaag ccaaactgcc tgggaaactt tatcttacag 180 ttcttggtga taagatctgc agtcggcttt gcctgaagag gaagaggaga ggaggggaca 240 ccagctagga cagaaggggc agggaggaat agagatgggg cagaggcaca tttagaaaca 300 acaagggttg gtgacaagac gtgaggcagg cttgagggga aagcttgctg atgagtccca 360 aatatgcttt gcaggggggg ggggggggga atcaaggctg gagaagcaag caagcaagac 420 agcaagacag cgggcgggta gtatgtggga gccagcagaa gcgctttgat tcaccgctat 480 cctgggctca atcctctggc ctcgcactgg ggaaatgggg tctgagtggt ccttgctgtc 540 ttctggcaaa ggctgctggg agcaaaagac ttcacagggc gtgagaggat taacttttct 600 ggtgaattaa gcttcttgac atttgcagaa cgtcaatgcc ttaaaattct agctctgaag 660 gagaagggaa tgaaggggaa agagggaagg ttggtgtgga gaaattccca agcttctggg 720 gtgtaacaca gctccagtcc ctaccctatt gggaaagccc agactcagga gacatggtcc 780 aaggaaatcc ctgacagaaa accgggagag ggcagggctg tggagcctga aacacacccc 840 acacccatgg tgacagtcac ttctcacata tgcctaggaa cctatctgaa acctttggcc 900 atctctctct gaaaagatga ggctgcaaat acacacacac acacacacac acacacacac 960 acacacacac acacacacac acacacacac acaaatgtcc ttcaagcctt tttgacaagg 1020 ttttctggtg gatcccgggg atatgaagtt gttctcagca gatatctggg agtcttgact 1080 cctggccctc tgagtaaatg gatgaagcga agaagaatgg ggtcctctga gtaacaggtg 1140 gatctagaaa atcctatagg agtcaccagg gcacggtgga ggagggtaag gtacagaact 1200 aacaatagcc cgagaagggg aaacagcagg agatgattcc agagacgtag tgaccccaag 1260 ctgcaaggga aagcatgagg ggccagcagg aaggccgaca tggcaggttg tcagcttcta 1320 gatcggaagg cgggtcacac ttgctctttc tatcctcagg gccacctcct cgcacaagga 1380 gtgtctccta catcaacatc atcatgcctt cagtgtttgg taccatctgt ctcctgggca 1440 ttgtgggaaa ctccacagtc atttttgccg tggtgaagaa atccaagctg cactggtgca 1500 gcaacgtccc tgacatcttc atcatcaacc tctctgtggt ggatctgctt ttcctgctgg 1560 gcatgccttt catgatccac cagctcatgg gtaatggtgt ctggcacttt ggggaaacca 1620 tgtgcaccct catcacagcc atggacgcca acagtcagtt caccagcacc tacatcctga 1680 ctgctatggc cattgaccgc tacttggcca ccgtccatcc catctcctcc accaagttcc 1740 ggaagccctc catggccacc ctggtgatct gcctcctgtg ggctctctcg ttcattagca 1800 tcactcctgt gtggctctat gccaggctta tccccttccc agggggtgct gtgggctgtg 1860 gcatccgcct accaaaccca gatactgatc tttactggtt cactctgtat cagtttttcc 1920 tggccttcgc ccttccgttt gtggtcatca ctgctgcgta cgtgaaaata ctacagcgca 1980 tgacgtcttc ggtggcccca gcctctcaac gcagcatccg gcttcggaca aagagggtga 2040 cccgcacagc cattgccatc tgtctggtct tctttgtgtg ctgggcgccc tactacgtgc 2100 tgcagctgac ccagttgtcc atcagccgcc cgaccctcac attcgtctac ctgtacaatg 2160 cggccatcag cttgggctat gccaacagct gcctcaatcc ctttgtgtac atagtactct 2220 gtgagacctt tcgaaaacgc ttggtgctgt cggtgaagcc cgcggcccag gggcagcttc 2280 gcacggtcag caatgctcag acagctgacg aggagaggac agaaagcaaa ggcaccatgg 2340 tgagcaaggg cgaggagctg ttcaccgggg tggtgcccat cctggtcgag ctggacggcg 2400 acgtaaacgg ccacaagttc agcgtgtccg gcgagggcga gggcgatgcc acctacggca 2460 agctgaccct gaagttcatc tgcaccaccg gcaagctgcc cgtgccctgg cccaccctcg 2520 tgaccaccct gacctacggc gtgcagtgct tcagccgcta ccccgaccac atgaagcagc 2580 acgacttctt caagtccgcc atgcccgaag gctacgtcca ggagcgcacc atcttcttca 2640 aggacgacgg caactacaag acccgcgccg aggtgaagtt cgagggcgac accctggtga 2700 accgcatcga gctgaagggc atcgacttca aggaggacgg caacatcctg gggcacaagc 2760 tggagtacaa ctacaacagc cacaacgtct atatcatggc cgacaagcag aagaacggca 2820 tcaaggtgaa cttcaagatc cgccacaaca tcgaggacgg cagcgtgcag ctcgccgacc 2880 actaccagca gaacaccccc atcggcgacg gccccgtgct gctgcccgac aaccactacc 2940 tgagcaccca gtccgccctg agcaaagacc ccaacgagaa gcgcgatcac atggtcctgc 3000 tggagttcgt gaccgccgcc gggatcactc tcggcatgga cgagctgtac aagtaa 3056 28 1815 DNA Artificial Sequence Human short form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-linker-EGFP 28 atggacctgg aagcctcgct gctgcccact ggtcccaatg ccagcaacac ctctgatggc 60 cccgataacc tcacttcggc aggatcacct cctcgcacgg ggagcatctc ctacatcaac 120 atcatcatgc cttcggtgtt cggcaccatc tgcctcctgg gcatcatcgg gaactccacg 180 gtcatcttcg cggtcgtgaa gaagtccaag ctgcactggt gcaacaacgt ccccgacatc 240 ttcatcatca acctctcggt agtagatctc ctctttctcc tgggcatgcc cttcatgatc 300 caccagctca tgggcaatgg ggtgtggcac tttggggaga ccatgtgcac cctcatcacg 360 gccatggatg ccaatagtca gttcaccagc acctacatcc tgaccgccat ggccattgac 420 cgctacctgg ccactgtcca ccccatctct tccacgaagt tccggaagcc ctccatggcc 480 accctggtga tctgcctcct gtgggctctc tcgttcatta gcatcactcc tgtgtggctc 540 tatgccaggc ttatcccctt cccagggggt gctgtgggct gtggcatccg cctaccaaac 600 ccagatactg atctttactg gttcactctg tatcagtttt tcctggcctt cgcccttccg 660 tttgtggtca tcactgctgc gtacgtgaaa atactacagc gcatgacgtc ttcggtggcc 720 ccagcctctc aacgcagcat ccggcttcgg acaaagaggg tgacccgcac agccattgcc 780 atctgtctgg tcttctttgt gtgctgggcg ccctactacg tgctgcagct gacccagttg 840 tccatcagcc gcccgaccct cacattcgtc tacctgtaca atgcggccat cagcttgggc 900 tatgccaaca gctgcctcaa tccctttgtg tacatagtac tctgtgagac ctttcgaaaa 960 cgcttggtgc tgtcggtgaa gcccgcggcc caggggcagc ttcgcacggt cagcaatgct 1020 cagacagctg acgaggagag gacagaaagc aaaggcaccg tcgacggtac cgcgggcccg 1080 ggatccatcg ccaccatggt gagcaagggc gaggagctgt tcaccggggt ggtgcccatc 1140 ctggtcgagc tggacggcga cgtaaacggc cacaagttca gcgtgtccgg cgagggcgag 1200 ggcgatgcca cctacggcaa gctgaccctg aagttcatct gcaccaccgg caagctgccc 1260 gtgccctggc ccaccctcgt gaccaccctg acctacggcg tgcagtgctt cagccgctac 1320 cccgaccaca tgaagcagca cgacttcttc aagtccgcca tgcccgaagg ctacgtccag 1380 gagcgcacca tcttcttcaa ggacgacggc aactacaaga cccgcgccga ggtgaagttc 1440 gagggcgaca ccctggtgaa ccgcatcgag ctgaagggca tcgacttcaa ggaggacggc 1500 aacatcctgg ggcacaagct ggagtacaac tacaacagcc acaacgtcta tatcatggcc 1560 gacaagcaga agaacggcat caaggtgaac ttcaagatcc gccacaacat cgaggacggc 1620 agcgtgcagc tcgccgacca ctaccagcag aacaccccca tcggcgacgg ccccgtgctg 1680 ctgcccgaca accactacct gagcacccag tccgccctga gcaaagaccc caacgagaag 1740 cgcgatcaca tggtcctgct ggagttcgtg accgccgccg ggatcactct cggcatggac 1800 gagctgtaca agtaa 1815 29 2022 DNA Artificial Sequence Human long form/mouse species chimeric MCH1R-linker-EGFP 29 atgtcagtgg gagccatgaa gaagggagtg gggagggcag ttgggcttgg aggcggcagc 60 ggctgccagg ctacggagga agaccccctt cccaactgcg gggcttgcgc tccgggacaa 120 ggtggcaggc gctggaggct gccgcagcct gcgtgggtgg aggggagctc agctcggttg 180 tgggagcagg cgaccggcac tggctggatg gacctggaag cctcgctgct gcccactggt 240 cccaacgcca gcaacacctc tgatggcccc gataacctca cttcggcagg atcacctcct 300 cgcacgggga gcatctccta catcaacatc atcatgcctt cggtgttcgg caccatctgc 360 ctcctgggca tcatcgggaa ctccacggtc atcttcgcgg tcgtgaagaa gtccaagctg 420 cactggtgca acaacgtccc cgacatcttc atcatcaacc tctcggtagt agatctcctc 480 tttctcctgg gcatgccctt catgatccac cagctcatgg gcaatggggt gtggcacttt 540 ggggagacca tgtgcaccct catcacggcc atggatgcca atagtcagtt caccagcacc 600 tacatcctga ccgccatggc cattgaccgc tacctggcca ctgtccaccc catctcttcc 660 acgaagttcc ggaagccctc catggccacc ctggtgatct gcctcctgtg ggctctctcg 720 ttcattagca tcactcctgt gtggctctat gccaggctta tccccttccc agggggtgct 780 gtgggctgtg gcatccgcct accaaaccca gatactgatc tttactggtt cactctgtat 840 cagtttttcc tggccttcgc ccttccgttt gtggtcatca ctgctgcgta cgtgaaaata 900 ctacagcgca tgacgtcttc ggtggcccca gcctctcaac gcagcatccg gcttcggaca 960 aagagggtga cccgcacagc cattgccatc tgtctggtct tctttgtgtg ctgggcgccc 1020 tactacgtgc tgcagctgac ccagttgtcc atcagccgcc cgaccctcac attcgtctac 1080 ctgtacaatg cggccatcag cttgggctat gccaacagct gcctcaatcc ctttgtgtac 1140 atagtactct gtgagacctt tcgaaaacgc ttggtgctgt cggtgaagcc cgcggcccag 1200 gggcagcttc gcacggtcag caatgctcag acagctgacg aggagaggac agaaagcaaa 1260 ggcaccgtcg acggtaccgc gggcccggga tccatcgcca ccatggtgag caagggcgag 1320 gagctgttca ccggggtggt gcccatcctg gtcgagctgg acggcgacgt aaacggccac 1380 aagttcagcg tgtccggcga gggcgagggc gatgccacct acggcaagct gaccctgaag 1440 ttcatctgca ccaccggcaa gctgcccgtg ccctggccca ccctcgtgac caccctgacc 1500 tacggcgtgc agtgcttcag ccgctacccc gaccacatga agcagcacga cttcttcaag 1560 tccgccatgc ccgaaggcta cgtccaggag cgcaccatct tcttcaagga cgacggcaac 1620 tacaagaccc gcgccgaggt gaagttcgag ggcgacaccc tggtgaaccg catcgagctg 1680 aagggcatcg acttcaagga ggacggcaac atcctggggc acaagctgga gtacaactac 1740 aacagccaca acgtctatat catggccgac aagcagaaga acggcatcaa ggtgaacttc 1800 aagatccgcc acaacatcga ggacggcagc gtgcagctcg ccgaccacta ccagcagaac 1860 acccccatcg gcgacggccc cgtgctgctg cccgacaacc actacctgag cacccagtcc 1920 gccctgagca aagaccccaa cgagaagcgc gatcacatgg tcctgctgga gttcgtgacc 1980 gccgccggga tcactctcgg catggacgag ctgtacaagt aa 2022 30 35 DNA Artificial Sequence Linker 30 tcgacggtac cgcgggcccg ggatccatcg ccacc 35 31 12 PRT Artificial Sequence Linker 31 Val Asp Gly Thr Ala Gly Pro Gly Ser Ile Ala Thr 1 5 10 32 29 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR primer 32 gcgaattcac catggatctg caagcctcg 29 33 28 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR primer 33 gcgtcgacgg tgcctttgct ttctgtcc 28 34 33 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR primer 34 ccttgctcac catggtgcct ttgctttctg tcc 33 35 39 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR primer 35 cagaaagcaa aggcaccatg gtgagcaagg gcgaggagc 39 36 24 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR primer 36 ggcggatcct ctagagtcgc ggcc 24 37 38 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR primer 37 gctctagagt cgcggccgct tacttgtaca gctcgtcc 38 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fusion protein comprising: a) a melanin concentrating hormone receptor polypeptide region comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ. ID. NO. 1, SEQ. ID. NO. 2, SEQ. SEQ. ID. NO. 3, SEQ. ID. NO. 4, and SEQ. ID. NO. 5; and b) a fluorescent polypeptide region joined directly, or though a linker, to the carboxy side of said melanin concentrating hormone receptor polypeptide region.
 2. The protein of claim 1, wherein said fluorescent polypeptide region consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID. NO. 6, SEQ. ID. NO. 7, SEQ. ID. NO. 8, SEQ. ID. NO. 9, and SEQ. ID. NO.
 10. 3. The protein of claim 2, wherein said melanin concentrating hormone polypeptide region consists of a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ. ID. NO. 1, SEQ. ID. NO. 2, SEQ. ID. NO. 3, SEQ. ID. NO. 4, and SEQ. ID. NO.
 5. 4. The protein of claim 3, wherein said protein consists essentially of said melanin concentrating hormone receptor polypeptide region and said fluorescent polypeptide region.
 5. The protein of claim 4, wherein said protein consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ. ID. NO. 11 or SEQ. ID. NO.
 12. 6. The protein of claim 1, wherein said melanin concentrating hormone polypeptide region is a chimeric polypeptide comprising (a) an MCH binding region from a first species and (b) a transmembrane and intracellular domain region from a second species joined directly, or though a linker, to the carboxy side of said MCH binding region.
 7. The protein of claim 6, wherein said fluorescent polypeptide region consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ. ID. NO. 6, SEQ. ID. NO. 7, SEQ. ID. NO. 8, SEQ. ID. NO. 9, and SEQ. ID. NO.
 10. 8. The protein of claim 7, wherein said protein consists of the amino acid sequence of SEQ. ID. NO. 13 or SEQ. ID. NO.
 14. 9. A chimeric melanin concentrating hormone protein comprising: a) a melanin concentrating hormone binding region characteristic of a human melanin concentrating hormone receptor; b) a transmembrane domain characteristic of a non-human melanin concentrating hormone receptor; and c) an intracellular domain characteristic of a non-human melanin concentrating hormone receptor.
 10. The protein of claim 9, wherein said protein comprises a melanin concentrating hormone receptor polypeptide having a sequence similarity of at least 75% with either SEQ. ID. NO. 4 or SEQ. ID. NO.
 5. 11. The protein of claim 10, wherein said protein comprises the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO. 4 or SEQ. ID. NO.
 5. 12. The protein of claim 11, wherein said protein consists of the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO. 4 or SEQ. ID. NO.
 5. 13. A nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding for the protein of claim
 1. 14. The nucleic acid of claim 13, wherein said nucleotide sequence is a contiguous sequence.
 15. The nucleic acid of claim 13, wherein said nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID. NO. 26, SEQ. ID. NO. 27, SEQ. ID. NO. 28 and SEQ. ID. NO.
 29. 16. A nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding for the protein of claim
 9. 17. The nucleic acid of claim 16, wherein said nucleotide sequence is a contiguous sequence.
 18. The nucleic acid of claim 16, wherein said nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ. ID. NO. 19 and SEQ. ID. NO.
 20. 19. An expression vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim
 13. 20. An expression vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim
 16. 21. A recombinant cell comprising the nucleic acid of claim
 13. 22. The recombinant cell of claim 21, wherein said nucleic acid is present in an expression vector.
 23. The recombinant cell of claim 21, wherein said nucleic acid is present in the genome of said cell.
 24. A recombinant cell comprising the nucleic acid of claim
 16. 25. The recombinant cell of claim 24, wherein said nucleic acid is present in an expression vector.
 26. The recombinant cell of claim 24, wherein said nucleic acid is present in the genome of said cell.
 27. A non-human transgenic animal comprising the nucleic acid of claim
 13. 28. A non-human transgenic animal comprising the nucleic acid of claim
 16. 29. A method for assaying for melanin concentrating hormone receptor active compounds comprising the steps of: a) contacting the cell of claim 21 with a test preparation comprising one or more test compounds; and b) measuring the effect of said test preparation on one or more melanin concentrating hormone receptor activities.
 30. A method for assaying for melanin concentrating hormone receptor active compounds comprising the steps of: a) contacting the cell of claim 24 with a test preparation comprising one or more test compounds; and b) measuring the effect of said test preparation on one or more melanin concentrating hormone receptor activities. 